Secret Cherry Blossom!
by KakashiFNGRL
Summary: NOT KAKAxSAKU! When Sakura's older sister returns to Konoha, she discovers terrible secrets about her father and her sister alike. History wants to repeat itself, will the now, mature adults, let this happen so easily or struggle and resist? KakashiXoc KakaxOc
1. Chapter 1

****This is a story I transferred from my account on Quizilla, I edited it heavily so either read this one, or that one. Please don't go comparing them, I know what's different :p I hope you enjoy this version the most, it should make more sense and should be easier to follow. In case you're wondering, my account on quizilla is SayaryNagire. You can message me there, i can confirm it.

**Shh! My Secret Comeback... To Konoha!**

"_I, I can't breathe...No! I have to hold on just a little longer..."_

"She's of no use to us anymore, get rid of her. Now!" A dark voice spoke, "Ditch her... Somewhere familiar."

"Consider it done." Her eyes twitched from the bright light shining in her face, her blurry vision caught sight of a tall man, a scary man. The Iwagakure symbol on everything she saw reminded her of the past six years, filled with pain, sorrow and fucked up memories. The lights faded, she passed out.

"I can only bring you this far. I'm sorry honey, but this is the way it's gotta be." The man said, he carried her gently into the forests of the Fire country and spotted a tree fitted for shelter.

"It's okay, you have been good to me Kei, I thank you for the help you gave me the past few years."

Drops of rain hit the leaves above her head, Kei looked up and said,

"That's my cue, I gotta go. Will I be seeing you?" Slowly she nodded before drifting away. "Sleep tight, my friend..."

"Come on you weaklings! I don't feel like coming late."

"Yes Gaara, coming!" a lazy voice replied, he dragged his feet over the ground and pondered, he muttered under his breath, "_Damn pesky little brat_..."

"What did you say Kankurou?!"

"Nothing Gaara-san!"

"I know what you're thinking..." A female voice replied. As the voices left with the feet, the young girl under the tree awoke. 'Where, am I? No time to think... I've got to get into Konoha. I need to reach him!'

Slowly but steady she got to her feet, her short blue, messed-up hair gave a slight hint of how rough her night was. As she turns to where the footsteps went, she saw something she missed for too long. A view she thought she'd never see again.

As she roamed the streets she hasn't felt underneath her feet for so long, she became reacquainted with the stares, countless eyes piercing into her back. After the feeling faded she passed a booth, hungry as a wildebeest she decided to go for a proper meal.

"Ohayo, please take a seat, how can I help you?"

She eyed the younger girl behind the counter and noticed an older man cooking the noodles. '_Nothing has changed...I hope_.'

"I would like some miso-ramen-soup, and could you by any chance know where I could find Morino Ibiki?"

The young girl got a good look at the desperate woman, she recognised the look in her eyes and the burden they contained, "Many of you travellers carry the same pain, why do you seek for this man?"

As the man started cooking, he seemed to recognise the frail and tiny girl at the counter. "Is that you, Zaku?"

She looked up, a twinkle in her eyes showed the feeling she bares. She was recognised, and in this booth always appreciated and acknowledged. "It's good to see you again, Teuchi-san..." A faint smile bared her scars.

"Give the girl your coat and hat Ame-chan, she'll need it."

"I thank you a thousand times for this, I'll return it as soon as possible!"

"No need, it's the least we could do. After all, you saved my daughters life!"

"I must thank _you_ for that!" Ayame said.

"Wait, you mean... You were that little girl? Wow, you've grown up well." Ayame and her father smiled in gratitude. A sly grin in return insured them she would do her best to keep herself save.

Another rooftop passed beneath her feet as she franticly jumped further and higher, '_At last, I finally found that wretched building... Why do they keep moving it?_'

Carefully she jumped onto a balcony and as she peeked in, she saw three old faces she could never forget, a guard and a closed door. 'Right, so that's where he's supposed to be! I swear, I'll take down whoever gets in my way now!'

She opened the window slowly and tiptoed inside, luckily the three who could blow her cover faced her with their backs. The guard noticed and nodded, he reached for the knob waiting for her to get to him. But even before she passed the plant next to those three, she found herself pinned against something hard. The man held her tight with a double Nelson, but her hood hid her face well enough not to be recognised. "State your business stranger! At once!"

"No need to state for you, you filthy greyhound!" She threw her head backwards and hit him square in the face, just hard enough for him to let go without breaking his nose.

"Halt your actions Hatake-san! This lady had sent a message earlier, the urgency is stated high!" The guard ran to her side and escorted her to the door with the sign, 'silence, exams being taken'.

The doors flung open wildly, the guard yelled, "Morino-san! She has arrived!"

A man covered with scars as far as the eye could see, stood before the class. At least 72 pupils occupied the seats, his eyes were filled with a dark certainty. He filled his lungs, "The first exam is postponed!"

About 50 students cheered and threw their tests in the air, others were flabbergasted, simply speechless. Save for the gossip girls spreading the fire, '_Who is that girl_?'

'_She looks like she lives on the street_'

'_Why would they postpone the exam for her_?!'

'_What a terrible taste in fashion_!'

A young pink haired girl eyed the hooded lady, behind her she saw her sensei looking quite displeased. '_Hmm, I smell something fishy, and for once it isn't Naruto_!'

The scarred man brought the hooded woman to another door, whilst the students and examiners exited via the other. Unnoticed, Sakura left the flock of students and headed towards the other door. Locked, to her dismay.

"Yoh! Sasuke, Naruto, where's Sakura-chan?" a mature grey-haired man said.

"Haven't got a clue, sensei!"

"Say sensei, you looked like you could kill that lady from earlier, do you know her?" his raven haired student said.

"I just had a bad vibe, and I don't feel comfortable without knowing where that hotheaded neurotic is headed."

Muffled voices, footsteps, moving chairs. 'What's happening in there?!'

Sakura pressed her ear flat onto the door, near the keyhole in the hope of hearing what this mysteriousness was about. "Zaku, I'm glad you're back!"

"I'm glad too, Ibiki-sempai!"

Sakura gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth, '_It can't be-_?!'

"Sakura! There you are! Come on, I'm buying you guys some ramen!"

Sakura shot straight up, trying to hide the massive door behind her frail posture, "N-no thank you sensei, I don't even like ramen!"

"Oh well, it is the thought that counts. Say, what are you doing by that door?"

She raised her hands in defence, "N-nothing sensei!"

He stepped closer, signalling the girl to move aside. As he reached for the knob, it started to turn on its own. He looked into the eyes of someone pained, "Kakashi-san, take your students and leave. At once."

Kakashi hesitated but nodded still. He diverted his look past Ibiki and noticed a dark silhouette next to the window. In the reflection of the glass he could gaze into her dark gloomy eyes, pitiful for him she did not gaze back.

**Chpt 2: Shh! My Secret Scars… Revealed only for you!**

"I missed this place, is it me or did they move the building?" She stared mindlessly out of the window, ignoring her former sensei.

"Zaku, answering my question with another question isn't going to help either of us."

She turned around to face him, her milky gaze showing her confusion. "You asked a question? Oh, I'm sorry, I must have phased out. I noticed I do that a lot lately. What was the question again, sensei?" She leaned against the wall close to the window, her arms loosely crossed against the cold.

"What will she remember?" he asked as he sat across his former student.

"That all depends on her and her memories Ibiki-san. If they are too far suppressed it can take days, even weeks."

The scarred man let out a disheartened sigh, "Will she be alright? Will she remember anything of her being in trance and the recalling of painful memories?"

The doctor hesitated, "I'm sure she won't remember something that shocking, which should take weeks, maybe months of daily treatments." As she stood behind the woman, she placed her fingers on Zak's temples. A glowing aura emitted from her hands, her eyes were blank, like they had always been.

"Hyuuga-san? Are you alright? What are you seeing? Is it, relevant?"

The doctor's eyes changed from pale lavender, to a black, darker than the pits of hell. She spoke in two voices, one not belonging to her. It's was a little girl's voice, who used to be close to Zaku. Before a certain mission. Before she became completely dispirited. Before all that, she was known as a gentle and sweet daughter devoted to raising a child that was not her own, in a loving, deserving way. Dedicated to become one of the best interrogation nins ever.

"Sensei, this may sound like a stupid question, but… Why aren't you eating your ramen? You look even more depressed than usual!" Naruto said between slurps, he pointed and looked at Sakura and said, "And I know you don't like ramen Sakura-chan, but you look like you're about to cry. What happened in the exam room you guys?" As he looked back and forth between the two, he noticed the black clouds and the dolor in their eyes.

While Kakashi moved his stare towards the outside of the ramen-stand, Naruto noticed tiny drops falling from Sakura's cheeks and into her soup. "Sakura-chan?"

"She's back, I can't believe she's even alive..."

He scooted closer, "Who's back Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke eyed her casually, thinking she was being pathetic like usual.

"_She who raised me_..."

"Your mother?" Sasuke said as she sniffed.

Sakura looked up, turned her gaze towards her sensei, who looked at her awaiting, and spoke, "No, my older sister."

"_Imouto-chan, don't tell mother and father about this, alright_?" the lifeless body on the chair said, the doctor who spoke for the small girl nodded, "_Promise, okay? Promise me Imouto_!"

The frantic adolescent's voice shook in chair as well as the doctor's. "_I promise! I promise_!" the Hyuuga said in that certain child's voice.

"_You know why mother and father were mad at me last time_?" Dr. Hyuuga shook her head, "_I took the responsibility for the vase you broke, the stains you put on mother's favorite blouse and for the dent on father's honorary medal_."

The Hyuuga gasped sharp, "_But those were accidents! You know that_!"

"_That doesn't matter! He would've beaten up either one of us! That's why I can't stay, as soon as he has punished me I'm going to leave on a mission. I'm so sorry that I can't take you along with me, I'm not sure if I'll even return_!" The Hyuuga started to sob as she silently muttered 'no', the young woman started to suffocate whilst simply sitting on her chair. The doctor collapsed and Zaku's breathing returned to normal. Her face met with the table, there she stayed unconscious as the doctor was pulled to her feet by her assistant, both clutching the chair.

Ibiki was simply bewildered by the slightest thought of this, but he had to believe what he just saw for he had no other choice nor evidence. "Musume-chan, I'm so proud of you, you innocent little girl."

"Go home guys, I need to talk to Sakura. Our agenda's empty for the next couple of days but stay alert, you never know. Bye!" he waved at the young teens as they both walked a different way, as they reached out of sight he turned to his last student.

"I know why I am exasperated at my sister, but why are _you_ aggravated by her?" she said. He sneered but seemed to snicker at the same time, "I'll tell you when you're old enough to read Icha Icha. I just wanted to know if you could tell me where she would be staying, and where she could be right now."

She looked up at him, her eyes still red from the burning tears, "Sensei, I didn't even knew she was coming! To be honest, I didn't even know she was alive..."

He placed his hand on her head and ruffled her hair, "You, go home and don't tell your parents anything. Just rest, I'll sort things out. If I discover anything, I'll contact you tomorrow. Sayonara!"

'_Sayonara sensei, I hope you'll find my sister and restore your friendship... Before I have to kill her_...'

"I said, get me the Hokage! Now!" Ibiki slammed his fist on the reception desk, "I've got a tortured kunoichi who's been gone and forgotten for six years on my hands, and if I can't get a damned physician and the one responsible for it, then she'll die from trauma!" Flames emitted from his eyes and spirit. His chakra was fierce and scattered.

"I swear sir! He'll be here A.S.A.P and we'll get her the best doctors available and-"

"No need, Makuko-san," an elderly voice spoke, Ibiki turned and saw the man, it was the Hokage. "She'll be fine if you just tend to her needs and wounds. I'll handle Morino-san."

'_My dearest, whatever happened to us? What made us grow apart? What made us hate each other?_' he thought as he held a framed picture in his bare hands, he sighed.

"I wish I could just, you know... I don't know what I wish. A letter or two would've been nice... Where the hell have you been?" he muttered as he traced her figure on the only picture of her he had. A class graduation picture with the top-students sitting on the front row. Of course Kakashi sat there, together with... No one, he was the only one on the first row but right behind him, sat two girls. One with half-long purple hair, and one with short red-brownish hair and bandages on her cheeks. A girl with long blue hair and a boy with spiky black hair and goggles, stood at the side. Technically the blue haired girl wasn't supposed to be on the picture, but she was standing next to her only friend back then, the spiky haired boy with goggles. "You were always better then me, you were just afraid to show it."

A loud series of knocks disrupted his train of thought.

"Die by trauma? You really know how to stir up some trouble, Ibiki-san." The Hokage said as he placed his pipe on the table.

"My sincerest apologies, Hokage-sama."

"You do know who have requested to be notified by ANBU if she might ever be admitted to a Katon hospital, or better yet, even seen in Katon, right?" Ibiki thought deep, he couldn't recall the list they gave him.

But one name got to him though, "_Hatake Kakashi_…" he muttered under his breath.

"Not only him Ibiki, a great deal more people."

"Where is she?! I demand to see her! Now!" The man with dark brown hair stood at the desk as he raised and slammed his fist down in anger.

"I see you still haven't lost your temper, Haruno-san."

He looked over his shoulder to see someone familiar yet not family nor friend. "Hatake, you filthy greyhound, what are you doing here?"

He walked up to the desk and leaned against it with his back, gripping the edge, "I'm here for something personal, and you? Did you come here to pick up your daughter's corpse?"

The man huffed, "She's alive and I know it! And I'm taking her home!"

Kakashi had loathed this man even since before he met Zaku. He kept his voice as monotone as possible and shrugged, he tried to not look at him in disgust, "She's dead to me, and even if she's still breathing she'll stop as soon as you get your hands on her."

Anger rose inside the man, his blood almost boiling,

"What are you saying? Are you claiming I might kill my own flesh and blood?" The jounin looked him straight in the eye and snapped inside, the man never got on his good side. Despite his own wish of not granting the man a second glance nor an opening, he turmed towards him and stepped even closer. Slowly his lips moved behind his mask, "It wouldn't be the first time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 3: Shh! My Biggest Secret Scar Is On My Soul… And It's Made By You!**

"How dare you say that?! I demand you take it back at once!"

"What do you want me to take back? The sour truth? I just can't believe how you've brainwashed-"

"Sensei! Father!"

Both men turned to the young girl's yell. Kakashi was slightly surprised, her father was furious,

"Sakura-chan? Why-"

"Why aren't you home with your mother?! I told you to stay with her!"

Sakura walked past her father ignoring him completely. "I'm not listening to you anymore father, I know the truth now!" she said with her eyes closed, as she tried to keep the tears of anger away she turned to her sensei. "Sensei, is it true that's she's back for good? That's she alive and well?"

Kakashi had no words for this as these were questions where no answers existed for yet. An older man stood in the hall, "Lady and gentlemen, why are you making such a fuss?"

The Hokage had his hands in his pockets as he strolled towards the concerned company making a racket, "All of what you've heard is a misunderstanding."

"What? I've had 5 messengers at my door all telling me my daughter is alive and in Konoha!"

The Hokage sighed,

"Yarichin, it was all a misunderstanding. She may have been sighted near Konoha, but no one can say for certain if she is alive. That's why we need the finest ANBU, Kakashi-san? Please come with me." The speechless jounin proceeded after the Hokage, but not before he looked over his shoulder towards Sakura, her eyes were uncertain of what was happening. He smiled as far as one could see, she nodded in affirmation.

A silent tapping on the door distracted Zak from her mind breaking gaze outside the window, "Who is it?"

She didn't even bother to turn towards the door as it slid open, "It's just me Kura-chan."

"And me…"

Her mind echoed, '_Those voices_…'

Her head shot quickly towards the door, she gulped as well as breathing heavily. When she fully took in that sight, she saw… nothing. The room was empty and the door closed.

'_Again, am I hallucinating? These are some heavy meds_…' she thought as she repositioned herself in bed. Yet before even having the chance to think twice, two sneaky chuunins jumped up beside her bed and squealed, "Kurakura-chan!"

"We missed you _so_ much!" The duo hugged her and squeezed every bit of sense out of her.

"_Air_…_A-air_!" Zak pointed weakly towards her throat, her lips were moving silently as she said with the last bit of breath in her, "Kotetsu! Izumo! Let go of me!"

The door of the office opened slowly, revealing a weakly lit desk and examining table. "Kakashi, I need you to take an ANBU team and go out of the village for a few days."

Kakashi stammered, "But, why Hokage?"

He feared the worst, like the fact she might actually be sighted outside the village, dead. "It's just a distraction, she's safe. But we need to convince the third party of otherwise."

"She's 'safe'? So you're telling me she's alive, here? Is she in this hospital? Hokage-sama, I must know!"

Kakashi slowly began to loose his calm as he strolled inside after the Hokage, the older man wiped the dust of the seat and table.

"Do you remember the legendary sannin, Kakashi-kun?" the old man said as he pointed towards the seat and desk, the jounin slowly nodded and sat down on a chair across the desk. "This used to be the office of Tsunade-sama, although she hardly ever used it. I'm thinking about passing it over, giving it to another young experienced medical nin."

Kakashi glanced at him, "How does this concern me and her?"

The Hokage smiled as he sat in the big chair, "It concerns the both of you greatly…"

"I can't believe you're back! And that you're breathing!" Kotetsu hugged the girl, she placed her hand on his arm but didn't respond, Izumo felt the tension.

"Kura, tell us what happened…Where were you?" Her heart was throbbing in her throat as she recalled memories that weren't there before, gazing towards infinity,_"Kei, what are you?"_

"So, you're willing to take this mission? I understand if you don't want to, it's not a difficult task but you two have a past. That's why I chose you." The Hokage awaited his answer, Kakashi avoided his gaze. If he were not to do this particular mission someone else would. He would never get to see Zaku again without clearance, the last thing he'd want. He stood up and looked the Hokage straight in the face, "I'll do it!"

With those words his stomach starting churning because before he would leave on his 'mission', he would get to see her once, before she would have to take refuge. The Hokage smiled broad as he saw in front of him, a flash of a young eager boy with the same hair and mask, and the same ambition. The little boy and the young man would do the same, everything to save a young girl's life.

Kotetsu placed his hand on her forehead, "She doesn't seem to have a fever, but there are two strange spots on each of her temples."

Izumo looked closer, "I've seen these before, she's been under treatment for memory loss, probably suppressed by traumatic events."

"Well, they're emerging right now. What do we do?" Kotetsu asked as he held her close, her lips murmured words, not relevant as a sentence. Izumo stood up and searched the room, "We have to record everything she says, it might come in handy. Why don't you alert a doctor?"

"Father," Sakura almost whispered, "why are you so determined upon getting her back?" She prepared herself for any kind of abuse, but not for this.

"She's my daughter… That's why."

Silence struck the young Haruno, she stopped in her tracks as she looked at her father. He followed suit. "But…I thought you hated, no, revolted Zak?! You always said you could never be proud of a girl like her. And that you always wanted a son first! You degraded and abused and, and-!"

Between sobs she tried to continue speaking, "You killed her!"

Those words struck him like lightning would fell a tree,

"No! That was an accident. I never meant to hurt her like that! Please, forgive me?" he pleaded as he placed his hand on his youngest daughter's cheek.

Sakura breathed heavily, she turned away from his hand and stepped towards the sun. "Incident comes first, and it's not me who's going to forgive you! If she's even alive, ane-san _might_ give you a second chance! If you do it right this time old man, maybe people will start to like you."

"Another miso-ramen please! Make that a double!"

The boy almost stood on his bar seat, the man smiled and nodded, "A double miso-ramen, coming right up!"

A young man heard this cry for food and stepped inside, "Yoh! Naruto-kun, what happened at the first exam?!" The boy turned his head quickly.

"Iruka-sensei! Man, I'm so happy to see you!" The boy jumped at the man as he hugged him, for he was his father-model. "Let me guess, you ordered out of your price range? I'll treat you tonight on whatever you like!"

"Sugoi! I've got so much to tell you about the exams and stuff… Like, did you know Sakura-chan has an older sister?!" Naruto said. The tanned young man was speechless, his mind silent but his heart was raging.

**Chapter 4: Shh! My Secret Love Was Divided By Two… One Was Him, The Other Was You**

"So? Did she fall asleep?"

Kotetsu nodded as he watched his friend come from the Hokage's office, "Yeah, I fell asleep as well. But with the tape recorder you found we, uhm, we got about 5 tapes of babbling…Well, 2 tapes of babbling and 3 tapes of me out snoring her." He smiled nervously as he rubbed his neck.

"I told you time and time again you snored, but you wouldn't listen to me." Izumo gloated as he sat on the table in front of the couch. "Either way, I searched through the Hokage's files, and I found a non-processed mission file of 6½ years ago, it has Zak's personal entry code. But no termination code, so I figured she never debriefed from the mission." Izumo mentioned he opened the manilla folder and flipped the pages.

"You think she never reported or came back in the meantime? I think they found her out, and they tortured her till she could bleed no longer." Kotetsu said as he looked at the girl, sleeping silently on the couch and sighed deep, "Where was she when she disappeared? Please, tell me it was in Fire-country…"

His friend shook his head, "Rock-country…She was in the capital… " Izumo's eyes were dark, saddened by what he had read and as Kotetsu ran his finger past Zak's temple he realised something.

"Naruto, tell me everything you know about her! How did she look? Did she say anything? Where was she?!" Iruka held the boy by his shoulders and shook him slowly but violently.

"Sensei, what the- Hey! I never saw the lady's face, I just heard Sakura say it was her sister!" Naruto looked even deeper into Iruka's eyes, "You like her, don't you?!"

The tanned man pulled his hands off the boy as his face flustered, "She…" he sighed as he looked at the floor quite saddened, "She and I used to, be an item about 12 years ago. Before she left and disappeared, I told her how much I loved her. She never said she loved me back, I figured she used me as a decoy to make someone jealous. But everything I felt for her, it was real love."

Naruto saw the pain in his eyes, he recognised that pain, "And you still love her, don't you?"

Iruka looked away, "These are grownup problems Naruto, you wouldn't understand. Besides, after what happened back then, I'm not surprised if she doesn't love me back, anymore. There's no reason to push."

"You're right," Naruto replied, he was patted on the head and smiled, "it's reason to shove!"

Iruka's eyes widened as Naruto disappeared in a cloud of dust, running into a random direction. Iruka sighed, '_He'll never understand you can't _make _people love you_…'

Teuchi coughed trying to pull his attention, and it worked as Iruka looked up at the man. He pointed to his side and Iruka turned his head. To his dismay, Naruto ordered a little more then _just_ over his budget. The big stack of roughly 20 bowls threatened to tip over, "Let me just pay for this…"

Once again he went home, completely broke and alone.

Kakashi pondered about the things he had to say to her, the right things may sound wrong but sometimes it just takes a slap to realise something. The Hokage opened the door to his office and proceeded to his own desk, Kakashi followed with verve. He pressed a little red button and a buzzer rang, another door opened and in came Izumo, "Yes Hokage-sama?"

"Have you made progress with Yeazakura-chan? It's almost time."

Izumo nodded, "She was just talking in her sleep. According to the doctors it's not wise for her to leave the hospital or receive visitors. Should I try to give her message when she awakes?"

The Hokage sat down as he shook his head, "Let her be for now, have you, by any chance, recorded anything she said?"

Izumo doubtingly nodded his head.

"I would like you to fetch Ibiki-san for me in the meantime. He's in charge of this shenanigan mission. You are dismissed." He bowed and said.

"Yes sir."

Kakashi head dropped, he'd have to go on this mission without the promise of seeing her again. Right? The Hokage looked over,

"Kakashi-kun, I care less for what the doctor says, you have my permission to see her if you'd like."

He smiled faintly as she felt anger rising, boiling inside of her. Until she snapped, "Stop those fake smiles goddamnit!"

"Zaku, what's wrong?"

"Your charade! That's what's wrong! I can't believe you can just smile so easily like that! After all that's happened..."

His smile disappeared and his eye turned sad again as she was on the edge of breaking down in tears. He looked quite serious and dejected at the same time. "These smiles aren't part of my 'charades', these are genuine smiles. I'm just happy to see you, alive and well." His faint smile returned again.

"I may be alive, but I'm not well." she said, pointing to her chest, there where her heart was supposed to be, "I'm dead inside Kakashi, take note of that!" She seemed calm but quite panicked on the inside.

"What can I do to make you feel alive again?" he was standing quite closer now, and slowly he kneeled in front of her as she still sat on the couch. He looked into her eyes, at least he tried to as she refused to open them. Tears fled down her cheeks as his hand caressed her tender skin, he was on his knees now, so close, as she could tell by the way she felt his breath dance on her lips.

'_He's not wearing his mask_?' The dance on her lips got more ravaging as he lifted her chin, he closed the distance between them, once more she wanted to see his face. Slowly she opened her eyes and took in every breathtaking moment, but what she felt wasn't there. She was still lying in her hospital bed, her right arm sore of sleeping on it. She tried to push herself up and sit straight, within seconds she felt hands on her shoulders. She looked up and saw it was Kotetsu, his lips were moving but no words reached her ears. All that was audible to her was the rustling of leaves. Soon she felt lightheaded and her face flushed, she fainted once more.

"I suppose Kakashi-san, the doctors were right." the elderly man spoke.

Kakashi's sigh was heavy, filled with disappointment, "I understand sir, I'll pack and get dressed immediately."

The man nodded him off,

"You'll have to wait to see her until after your mission then." The man noticed Kakashi's heart grow lighter, he was given hope. He wanted to turn back to the old man and ask if he was being serious, only to remind himself it was the Hokage, he would always be serious. He left with a smile.

According to the mission scroll, it would have taken about a week for him to return to Konoha if the mission went according to plan. Kakashi figured he was ahead of schedule since it only took him 5 days to complete the required distracting objectives, as he already found himself on his way home. It was not only a mission to distract Yarichin's thralls and others interested, there was actually something to do. As he visited her last-known hiding places in Katon to collect information from witnesses, colleagues and snitches, he recollected memories of his ANBU days.

How he'd be gone for days or even weeks, and that she would be waiting for him at the gates or the hospital. Even if it were only to say hello in the short times they usually had together. It wasn't much, but it was time well spent. He always kept a 'farewell-note' in his room, should it have been necessary to search it, of course. '_I better hurry to the hospital_.'

"She is doing much better now, Hokage-sama." the attending doctor said as he replaced her chart. Dr. Hyuuga continued,

"After her second treatment yesterday, she responded much better. Even so, it is most unwise to immediately resume treatment, we are better off letting her rest, psychologically speaking."

He nodded, "I assume she is ready for guests and a regular B-ranked mission."

"B-ranked shouldn't be too difficult, but she shouldn't go unaccompanied. At least one full jounin."

'_Ah yes, you have not taken your last jounin exams yet. Exciting times await you, Haruno-san.' _the man thought as he looked upon her slumbering form.

Three men sat in a circle, one stood by a door. The eldest in the circle broke the silence, "Izumo, go see if she has awoken already. If so, bring us to her room."

He bowed and slipped through the door next to him.

"Hokage-sama, I do not think I'm ready to see her yet. Especially under these circumstances. We've had a rough, 'goodbye' you could say." the silver-haired jounin said. The Hokage took a long drag of his pipe,

"It's important you meet again eventually, we suspect you might be the key to several of her locked memories. You are to re-visit some places of her past, together."

Kakashi responded surprised in a negative manner, "W-what? I thought I wouldn't get to see her alone? Are you sure it is wise to take her out of the village? Wouldn't you rather have her take an ANBU team along?"

The older man shrugged, "We cannot afford to stall anymore, Kakashi. She holds information we cannot access freely, we have to convince her she's safe again. An ANBU team will monitor her constantly but it's better not to inform her too well. This is a great opportunity for your team, I'd like you to take them with you."

Kakashi was burdened with information too much to process at once, he felt the gears in his mind turn as both other men noticed him clutching his chest.

"Ibiki, your turn."

"Kakashi, I know how your 'relationship' with her ended. But 7 years ago Kakashi, she was just a girl. And you were just 19, you know I saw her as my own daughter. It was for the best. Now we forget the past and start over. You're both adults now, act that way." Ibiki's words penetrated his mind, his head was twirling and his heartbeat irregular. His mind rattled, '_I hate being a victim of infatuation…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 5: Shh! My Secret Reunion with Betrayal, Death and My Other Two BF's!**

_When you love someone, you'd think you could give up breathing for him/her… But face it, air is needed by everyone. Just like comfort, if you can't find any in the relationship you're in right now, I'd bail any minute. If you revolt a person so much you almost gag at his/her thought, but your dreams say otherwise? I'd say, kiss her/him, either you don't feel anything for him/her… Or this hate-hate fling could turn into one romantic adventure! - ?_

Kotetsu lifted the frail girl up from the bed; slowly they made their way to the bathroom. Izumo just entered the room, as he saw this he asked, "What happened to her? Is everything alright?"

Kotetsu struggled with the door, Izumo helped him as he said with a simple tone, "I told her Kakashi-sempai was here and then she fainted."

"I thought she hated him? So, she's still swooning over him…" Izumo said with a relaxed tone in his voice, as Kotetsu placed the half awakened kunoichi near the toilet. The icy tiles felt comforting to her burning skin as it cooled her slightly. Kotetsu knelt besides her to check her temperature,

"What are you talking about? I thought she used to date Iruka?"

She lifted the seat and hung over it slightly, Izumo spoke up, "Nobody told you? She used him as a decoy to make Kakashi jealous, and if I may add it worked like a charm."

"Yeah, but… She broke his heart, didn't she?"

"Right, but that was afterwards. Eventually she broke both their hearts, that's why they can't stand each other, they're still jealous at on another. And angry." Izumo said, Zaku grunted as her voice faltered, "You guys, I'm right over here… I can hear everything you say!"

Both men gulped and shame hung from their heads, she looked disconsolate at the floor as both of the guys started feeling guilty. Kotetsu knelt besides her and hugged her loosely. "You're not ready to see him, are you?" Izumo said as he lent against a wall.

"I broke their hearts, just like you said! I'd understand if he'd never forgive me… I'm such an ignorant, lewd coward!" She was already on her knees as she grabbed her face and shook her head. Tears slipped though her fingers as her cries were loud enough to hear in the Hokage's hospital office.

Six ears perked up, two men faced the door as one's head was too heavy to lift. Kakashi mumbled under his breath as he faced the table, "_She hates my guts_…"

"_I'm still in love with him Izumo…_ That's the whole problem! I-I, I just can't face him right now…" she struggled to get to her feet, Kotetsu's arms slipped away from her as he still sat on the floor.

"You're both adults now! Get over it!" Izumo yelled at her back.

Kakashi's nerves got him cold feet,

"I can't do this, I got to go." Before he could stand up completely Ibiki's hand shot up and grabbed his vest, "Bail out now, and you'll never see her again."

Kakashi sat down slowly as Ibiki spoke further, "Your heart isn't the only one she broke, she wasn't meant to go on that mission Kakashi."

"S-sorry? What do you mean? She told me she earned it."

The Hokage placed his pipe on the table, "Sonny, she never passed her psych-test. That means she was too emotionally unstable to become an interrogation nin and to prove us she could become one, she stole the mission and infiltrated perfectly into the village." The old man sighed, "Only to get discovered by a nuke-nin, from Konoha."

Ibiki added, "The tables turned on her and she grabbed the wrong end of the rope. When she got interrogated she didn't slip any important information, though we're not worried about that, we're worried more about her own being."

"Did I hit you too hard? I didn't break your nose did I?" Izumo said whilst Kotetsu bent over and held his nose closed,

"I'm fine, weally… Let's just get this ovel with."

Izumo nodded and opened the door, in a flash his calm features changed into a raging storm, "Hokage-sama! Haruno-san escaped, she's gone!"

"What?! Where did she go?!" Ibiki yelled, "We need to find her, quick!"

"Ibiki," the Hokage said as he raised his hand and beckoned him to sit down, "let her be."

"But she's an emotional wreck! Who knows what she's capable of?!" he screamed, the Hokage merely smiled,

"That's exactly why we need to let her go."

'_Damn Jounin uniform! I always hated these things, feels like I'm wearing pyjamas_!' the girl thought to her self. She straightened out her clothes and mask as she exited the building. She tucked in her hair as she prepared herself for broad daylight, the public. The moment she stepped out of the building and on the streets, the loud voices of happy children sounded like music to her ears. People passing by glanced at her hitae-aite and smiled, she finally felt respected again. Children running around her in circles screaming,

"When I grow up, I wanna be a Jounin too!" Those words made her smile, not that they could see it but her eyes said enough.

"Naruto, how many times have I told you to take exams seriously?"

The boy pouted and looked away, "Pfft, I don't care about exams, I don't need those to become the next Hokage!"

Iruka's frown softened, slowly a smile formed on his lips. He looked at the busy street and said, "One day Naruto, you will become a great ninja. But let's just see about that Hokage thing." His glance wandered towards the ramen booth as a woman, perhaps, in an oversized jounin uniform stepped into the booth. Naruto's eyes caught a glance of the young lady as well for the place she entered was Ichiraku Ramen. His stomach roared as he grabbed his former sensei's hand, "Come on sensei, I'm hungry!"

"Please Naruto! We were here 3 hours ago, and I'm beat and broke!" the man said. Naruto still dragged the man into the booth and placed him on a seat as he took one of his own, "Stop your whining Iruka-sensei!"

"My whining?! I worked a 14-hour shift, you're the lazy one!"

"I didn't say anything about lazy! You're just getting old!" the boy said, a sly smirk decorated his features.

"Naruto, I'm 25, I couldn't be any better!" the young man said as he pointed at his chest. Their loud conversation was interrupted by a simple cough, the male attention was caught by the young lady in the corner, Iruka immediately apologised,

"Oh, I'm sorry. I hope we didn't interrupt your meal…"

"You didn't, as a drink does not count for a meal." She said, still avoiding his gaze by looking straight ahead, she felt the kid's eyes switch between the adults.

"Isn't it quite early to be drinking?" the young man said.

"It's always five o' clock somewhere…" she replied before taking a sip of her sake. Her mask hung loose around her neck as her pale blue hair pulled the man's attention, sticking out from her hood.

As the man observed the child gobbling his soup, his eyes occasionally slipped towards the young woman's hair. His gaze seemed to be noticed not only by the young woman, but also by the child. He looked back and forth between the two adults and one could see him think quite hard. Eventually he turned to the woman and said, "Hey miss, you look familiar! Do I know you from somewhere?!"

Iruka almost fell from his seat, "Naruto, show some respect, could you?" He straightened himself as he turned to the young woman.

"I apologise for his behaviour miss," he tried to speak but his words trailed off as he caught a glance of her aura. Warm and loving yet, somehow dark? It seemed deeply scarred, unfamiliar.

"If you're trying to find out my name, keep fishing." She said unstirred as another sip of sake finished her sentence. Naruto frowned deeply, "I still want to know why you look so familiar!"

Iruka sighed, never will the boy change, he thought. The woman took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "You know me of many, yet you know me best of none…"

As her voice resounded within Iruka's mind, he got one step closer to plucking her name from the tip of his tongue. Was it the tension, or overwhelming sensation that caused him to stammer?

Busy with putting back her mask, her pale blue hair stuck out at various places as she tried to tuck it in.

"Blue hair huh? That's quite rare," Naruto said as the lady just nodded, barely glancing at them. He continued, "just like pink hair…"

Iruka wondered where Naruto was heading with his questions as he was so, laid back… "Tell me, and please be honest," Naruto actually seemed quite cool, well, until he started talking again, "You're Sakura's big sister, right?!"

"_Never had I regretted loving her, I regretted the fact that I wasn't there when she needed me. That I didn't take her seriously when she told me her father threatened to kill her, until I saw it with my own eyes. I regretted not reading the letter she left for me, and taking everything for granted. I always thought that she would be in my arms again the moment she came home, but after a few years I started to worry IF she would come home. And if she would come home, would she come to me? Or would she seek refuge elsewhere?"_

**Chapter 6: Shh! My Secret Identity Is Supposed To Be Secret!**

_I've been away so long, but even her generation recognised me. Am I safe no where? I never meant to hurt anybody, but sometimes it's better to play pretend. Let's just hope he doesn't love me anymore, that'll safe me so much trouble. I can't imagine spending my life with him, it would be horrific. I'd kill myself if he'd try anything with me._

"You're Sakura's big sister right!" Naruto said as he pointed at her. Her eyes widened in shock, she looked up at the man sitting behind Naruto. Their eyes were the same, shocked and surprised. Time seemed to be slowed down. Iruka's face lit up as he recognised her, it had been six years so it's no surprise she had changed so much, as did he. Naruto was still pointing at her, waiting for an answer. What seemed to be minutes happened at the speed of light, she fixed her mask and hair as she turned around. Not standing up, but almost jumping from her stool, she made her way into the crowd and onto the roof across the street. Iruka followed leaving poor Naruto at the booth to pay the bill.

"Damn you Iruka-sensei! I'll get you for this!", he swung his fist at the long gone man before turning to the man behind the counter.

"Put it on the tab please?" He said with his cheesy trademark smile.

"Hey! Wait up! Please?!" Iruka yelled, "Leave me alone!" Her voice echoed over the rooftops, as her feet barely touched the tiles she ran with great speed. The tiles cracked in five equal parts as contact between them and her feet broke, 'Chakra control in her feet to the precision? Plus blue hair!' Iruka's breathing and heartbeat quickened, not because of the chase itself, but because of who he was chasing. He collected his breath for one last yell, "Yaezakura?!"

The echoes through the air reached her ears, he caught her from behind in a figure of speech. She glanced back at him only once, but even that slightest distraction, was enough. Her foot slipped off the tiles as her chakra got unbalanced, the sky high roof seemed her last path to destiny. Was she to fall down a 7-story-building and let it be her last? She tipped over the edge, whilst grabbing the air, her destiny seemed set. Only, Iruka wasn't ready to accept her death, all over again.

He jumped after her with great determination, as he met her in mid air he grabbed and held her tight. Turning around in mid-air was the difficult part, as he switched sides with her he switched the odds of dying as well. Not only did she face the ground and death coming closer, she faced someone else she had cheated on before as well. A tear escaped from both of her eyes whilst he faintly smiled. Deep from the inside she wished that things didn't have to come this far. Seconds seemed to be hours as they passed, they pulled each other closer praying for the best. She whispered,

"_Hold on to me_."

His eyes were closed shut as his grip tightened. She reached into a pocket and pulled out a very irregularly shaped kunai. Only two floors left as she threw it at a large billboard at the top of a building. One floor left.

They had stopped moving, or did only he? Flashes returned to him, he slowly felt her slip away from his arms towards the ground. He looked around, he stood upon a rooftop across the building they fell from. Afraid she had fallen to her death, he ran towards the edge of the rooftop. Frantically he looked around searching as he yelled her name,

"Zaku? Zaku?!"

His eyes weren't yet ready to see the scene that displayed in the alley, "Zaku... I can't believe you're gone, again..."

Whilst breaking inside, he looked down upon the alley, clean empty, not a body to be seen.

He turned around, his head hung low as he walked the crowded streets. People bumping into each other as they tried to make their way on the main road, just like him they had to face their setbacks that complicated their miserable lives even more. As he struggled to stay on his own feet he almost got knocked over. He had lost his attention once again as he thought about how she reached inside of him, and ripped his heart out all over. Without even coming closer than 3 feet. He kept walking towards somewhere, halfway he stopped and closed his eyes and imagined her face and her voice once more. He called to her in his mind, his soul yearned for her as it screamed her name. A sudden flash of memories overwhelmed him as 120 lbs pushed him to the ground and pinned him there. He opened his eyes, thinking he was still remembering hers, he whispered her name.

"Zaku?" he caressed the cheek in front of him. Pale blue hair sticking out of everywhere.

The eyes _were_ hers, and equally enervated as they bore into his. As she whispered out his name, he thought he heard her whimper.

"What's wrong?" he whispered so damn gently, as if her ears were made of glass so fragile. A tear escaped her eyes, she shook her head and muttered 'no'. Trying to stand, she put her hand on the ground to push herself up but felt herself being held back, held close. She looked down at her hand, gently but firm he had grabbed it. She looked him in the eye, confused. He looked her in the eyes, forsaken.

"I can't do this..." she whispered. Iruka's desperate yells could be heard from the distance, both looked into his direction yet only she jumped to flee. Kakashi felt her slip away once more, not again would he let this happen. '_I'm _not_ letting her escape once more_...' his mind spoke to him. He followed her in her steps so precisely, the people on the street made way for the sudden chase. He saw her running so fast, but to where?

"So you finally paid for yourself huh? It's time Iruka-sensei bailed out on _you_ for once…"

Naruto huffed, "Very funny Shikamaru, I was broke!"

As Shikamaru laughed at the pouting Genin, he noticed a green flash running over the rooftop across the street. Only to be followed by two more, "Shikamaru, what are you looking-"

"Shh Naruto, follow me." the genius said as he jumped off.

"Not you too Shika!"

Iruka checked the corner of his eye again, it seems his ex-student caught up with him, "Shikamaru, how nice to see you."

"Hn, what seems to be the problem?"

Iruka couldn't come straight forward in a situation like this, he had to think of something quick.

"We're pursuing a fugitive, she has to be caught and brought in unharmed!"

Shikamaru nodded, "Consider it done, Naruto and I will cut her off short. Try to lead her to the school, it should give both of us enough time."

Iruka nodded, he hoped Kakashi had heard it as well.

"Why won't they stop? Why won't they leave me alone?!" She zigzagged from roof to balcony, the ninja streets. She looked back quickly, "Zaku! I just want to talk!"

Kakashi tried to pick up his pace, but not even then was he coming closer. Slowly but surely Iruka caught up to him, "Kakashi, try to-"

"I heard, lead her to the school."

He tried to dismiss his thoughts about Iruka still not being over Zaku, he also tried to dismiss those thoughts about himself. His attempts were quite futile, painful memories returned, the feelings were unchanged. He shook his head, as he noticed she was making a left turn, he threw a kunai in her direction. It landed straight in the wall in front of her, forcing the kunoichi to stop in her tracks. She looked up in their direction and made a full 180. She was now heading towards the school, right into the trap of the boys.

Naruto was hiding everywhere, he looked at the shrubs in front of the open gate. Shikamaru raised his thumb, shook his hand and took it down. Naruto nodded and listened closely, he heard light footsteps running through the street. They skidded to a halt as the owner saw the roadblock of 30 feet high. They picked up their pace and ran into the schoolyard. Shikamaru saw it was their target, he also saw the frightened look in her eyes. The look that doesn't know what it's doing, improvising along the way. The look, hoping it'll keep her alive, just for now. Her panting was heard throughout the yard, as well as her heartbeat. She pulled back her hoodie and mask, she gasped sharply and fell to her knees. Her panting slowly started to sound like sobs, in which she put no effort to mute.

'_She must know we're here_.' Shika thought to himself, he picked a berry from the bush and threw it towards her. Naruto nodded and charged in, with all his clones. "Take this you, villain!" he yelled as they jumped in, ready to pound her. Close around the corner Kakashi was followed by Iruka into the schoolyard. They ran into the scene, Yeazakura caught by Shika's shadow manipulation Jutsu while Naruto prepared a Jutsu with his clones.

"We got her sensei! Right where we wanted!" he yelled as he surrounded her, "Naruto Ninpocho; Shihou Hapou Shuriken no Maki!"

Iruka gasped,

"Naruto, yamero!"

Her eyes widened, before they closed shut.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 7: Shh! My Secret Arrest Isn't Going To Go Public, I Hope!**

'_I can't see the light anymore I closed the drapes and shut the door Things have gotten way too heavy Far too much for me to carry. I feel like I'm alone As I'm staring at the phone My story won't be heard Not a single word'_

"Naruto Ninpocho; Shihou Hapou Shuriken no Maki!"

Iruka gasped,

"Naruto, yamero!" Iruka's heartbeat tripled, he was too late to interfere. Luckily Kakashi was already on his way, he jumped in front of Yeazakura, surrounding her. With only two clones of his own he deflected all the kunai, soaring their way. The clinging sound of metal against metal opened her eyes, somebody was fighting, no, protecting her? She tried to focus her eyes on the nearest thing to her, which appeared to be Kakashi's Jounin vest. He's had the same one for over ten years, and mostly she's only seen the back of it unlike now. The rain of kunai had stopped, she lowered her arms from a defensive stance in order to investigate her surroundings. She saw Kakashi's chest move up and down violently, inches from her face, she heard his panicked breath from under his mask. Afraid and insecure she tried to look him in the eye, inch by inch she raised her gaze. His weary voice restored some painful memories,

"Are you alright? Yeazakura?"

The tears in her eyes were too much to fight back, she clamped onto his vest and let them run freely. Her sobs became uncontrollable yet they remained almost inaudible,

"Kakashi, I'm so sorry! I never meant to hurt you, or anybody else for that matter!" Kakashi sighed deep, he snaked an arm around her shoulder and placed his hand on her head before he took a deep breath, "I think you're hurt the most, Ibiki-san told me a bit about your 'mission'. Though, I'd like to hear the rest from you."

Iruka couldn't hear their conversation but still he felt anger rising. The way he pulled her close, nuzzling into the nape of her neck. How dare he just take her for his own? All over again?! He clenched his fist tighter and tighter, until he almost drew blood from his nails, the ones he dug into his own palm. Naruto was astonished by what he saw as he approached Iruka whilst looking at Kakashi and the young lady.

"Iruka sensei, what's going on? Isn't that Sakura's sister?" the boy said, he noticed his previous sensei had his eyes focused on the ground with a pained look on his face. "Sensei? Are you-?"

"I'm fine Naruto," he said with a sudden smile, "Just peachy, I'm glad we finally got her."

Naruto knew in an instant that his smile couldn't be any faker.

Shikamaru stood up,

"Hmpf, well I'm confused. And I'm not gonna ask, that's too bothersome." He crossed his arms and just walked away, resuming his busy day of doing nothing.

As Iruka stood at the side, he was joined by Ibiki, Izumo and Kotetsu. "I'm sorry Iruka, you probably won't be able to get clearance to interrogate her yourself."

Iruka scoffed before he jumped off,

"I thought so…"

Naruto looked at him as he fled from this too confusing matter, he recognised his pain, "_Sensei_..."

Defeated, not knowing what to do he turned away from the schoolyard, and kept on walking.

"Kakashi, what's going to happen now? I don't want to be interrogated anymore…" the young woman muttered into his vest.

"I understand, you've had enough of that. But there's one more mission we have to do before you can relax." His voice soothed her, she looked him in the eyes with disbelief.

"Another mission? We? I can't do it Kakashi, no matter what it is…" she tried to turn away from him but her determination was too weak, his arms too strong.

"I'll be with you all the way, _it'll be fine_." he said, she could see his mask take on the form of a gentle smile. She ran her fingers over the fabric, there where his scarred cheek was supposed to be. Instead of that stupid mask.

"I wish I could see your smile for once." she said softly.

"I could say the same for you, all I've seen so far were angry looks and tears." He returned the caressing feeling, over her bare cheeks.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you, and that I ran you over. I was running away from Iruka. Oh my god! Iruka!" Sudden realisation struck her, she tore away from Kakashi and looked around the school yard. But to her disappointment there was no determined Chuunin with a high ponytail. Only her surrogate-father and her surrogate-brothers accompanied by a little blond Genin. She sighed deeply,

"Is it too late to apologise to him?" Kakashi stepped forward, he placed his hands on her shoulders. His heart tried to speak up but he kept his lips firmly together. It was wiser for not only himself, but also for her and Iruka if he didn't speak about this. After all, Iruka wasn't completely filled in. Only trouble could be caused from this. He shook his head slowly, then embraced her in a loose hug. She placed her hands on his arms around her, only to let her head hang low.

"I can't believe she let herself sway that easily into his arms again. Did I mean nothing to her?" With his hands in his pockets, Iruka walked along side the river. He sighed as he kicked a little rock which rolled straight into it. As he looked over the railing he could see the rock was being taken along with the flow, "I guess it is that easy huh?"

He looked towards the lake, where the river ended. He could see a couple standing on the little isle in the middle of the lake. They were standing on its highest point, enjoying the early sunset holding each other. The rays of the sun barely skimmed the top, just below their feet. "Why didn't we have those moments? Why did we only share lies?" Iruka said from the shadows below, he sighed once more and decided to let it go. It was dinnertime as he headed home, not that anybody was waiting for him there.

"Why did you run away? Why were you so afraid?" her surrogate father asked.

"I was foolish. I know that he'd rather had a son. I know I am the biggest disappointment in his life! I wanted to prove him wrong! _He always looked down on me_."

"Now why would he do that?" the Hokage said. "Because none of you know the complete story, and neither do reason he holds a grudge against me." she sighed deeply, she felt her throat acting up again along with her eyes.

"Why would your father hold a grudge against you?" the third repeated. Ibiki added, "We all know how violent and mean he may _seem_, but you know. Even though he never said it, he was always quite proud of you." It seemed like Ibiki was trying to convince her of his white lie, ineffectively. "Because, In his eyes I will always be a disappointment. The first time I failed the final exams, the Genin exams. I never had time to study, I always had to do chores, useless things that held me back..."

At first she thought she finally had them silent by proving her point, but as she opened her eyes they proved her wrong. The two men had a smile at first but then laughed from the heart, " Yeazakura-chan, he doesn't think of you that way! I have pictures to prove it…"

The old man smiled warm, though his smile wasn't returned.

"Then how come I was beaten and abused?! Scolded at for no reason? I still remember the way his belt feels across my back!"

The third and Ibiki exchanged a look, "Yeazakura-chan, why didn't you tell us before?" Silence struck the conversation.

"I thought I didn't have to… With you and your crystal ball. Haven't you ever wondered why I _never_ wore short sleeves? Why I _never_ went swimming with the other kids?"

The men had no answer to this, the only reason they could think of was that she was shy, she always seemed that way. But apparently she wasn't 'shy'; she had low self-esteem problems, caused by traumatic events and the scars to show for it. "Would you consider confronting your father? You're an adult now, if anything happens, you're strong enough to take him on by yourself now."

Doubt passed through her mind, "I don't know, he already killed me once before, I'm afraid he'd do it again."

Another look was exchanged, a sad one deciding on drastic measurements.

**Chapter 8: Shh! My Secret Apology Was Seen By Everyone, Not So Secret Then?!**

_After all these years, I still don't love him. I've said it before, I know that. I just hope I don't run into him, as I haven't yet! His stupid hair, that stupid smile! And that ridiculous green jumpsuit!_

"Alright then, you may leave Yeazakura." The third said.

"But, what are you going to do about it?!" Zaku's drastic attempt to provoke them seemed to go without fruit.

"It's not something you should worry about, let alone know. We'll inform you tomorrow, before you'll be debriefed for your mission." Yeazakura swallowed hard, she bit her tongue in order not to say anything foolish. She sighed inwards and nodded, but as she had reached the door she stopped to look back, "Where do I sleep tonight? The hospital has discharged me and I can't go back to my father, or you-know-who."

"In that case you'll have to find something yourself, Yeazakura. We cannot help it." The old man smiled as she departed. The sad look in her eyes didn't leave just yet.

"Need to keep walking, need to find a place. A place to eat." she said to herself as she walked around, clutching her stomach in hunger. She averted her look to the ground, "_Why can't I just go home_?"

Mindlessly he strolled down the street, around the corner is where his last meal of the day would take place. His mind wouldn't let this issue go, no matter what his heart pleaded. It cried for him to stop, to get over her and find love for himself. But why couldn't he? He turned around the corner, the street was busy as usual as he looked up. As he exited the alley he tried to keep his head high, only to bump into… her. "Oh, it's you Yeazakura…"

She could read the blank expression from his face, was he indeed done with her?

"I-Iruka-kun, -san! I-" she tried to tell him so much, she felt the words fly only not from her lips. They were petrified, unable to say anything sane.

"What? You're not going to run this time?" Those words had a cold ring to them and their meaning, the coldness ran down her spine. Her eyes closed slowly as they sank their gaze towards the ground, her messy hair fell in front of her face hiding her every expression. "Never mind, I'll do it this time."

His voice sounded nothing like it used to, it sounded distant like he was _unapproachable_, so cold and bitter. As he walked on past her he intentionally bumped into her shoulder, letting her know he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. But was he sure he wanted that himself? She felt his shoulder, his arm brush past hers, it felt so cold on that summer evening.

She tried to catch her breath as she turned around, "I'm sorry, Iruka."

"Hm?" he had stopped yet not turned around, slightly looking over his shoulder he was interested by what she had to say. His back still turned to her, "I'm so sorry Iruka! I never meant to hurt you, chikushō!"

Her voice crackled as it started to gain volume, her eyes started to tear as she lost control. Neither of them noticed the people on the street, looking at their every move, staring at them, pointing and whispering. "I never should've involved you in all of this! Not like this. It wasn't my intention to hurt anyone! _I just wanted to proof him wrong_, _at any expense_."

Yeazakura broke into pieces, she grabbed herself trying to hold it together. She met with disaster as she fell to her knees, the look in Iruka's eyes softened slightly. Who knew one little cold reaction could cause a meltdown, "What are you apologising for?"

She bowed so deep she could practically taste the ground, she gathered all her courage, "For everything! I apologise for just now! For this afternoon! I'm apologising for 7 years ago! Please Iruka... _Moushiwake arimasen_."

If he wanted this to succeed, he'd need to be persistent. He sighed slightly and shook his head, with his back still turned to her she stood up. She felt the bitter side of his heart for the first time ever as she saw him walking away without a word. There was nothing she could do now, only mourn the death of their friendship as she ran into the opposite direction.

As the man stood upon the rooftop, witnessing this heartbreaking moment, he addressed his young disciple, "Boy, it is time for us to interfere. This is not the way a friendship should end."

"Friendships should never end sensei!" the boy said with spirit in his eyes.

"That's correct! So let's fix this! You go after him, I'll reason with her." The boy saluted his sensei before he jumped off into his direction.

The lake reflected the moonlight in such a gentle way, the rays that landed on her skin showed how dead she was on the inside. As she lay sideways on the dock she ran her fingers over the smooth surface of the water, creating wrinkles that made it all the way across the lake and the little isle in the middle. She pondered over how big the effect was, of something so small. Be it a cold word, or an even colder stare, no matter what the intention was the effect can be immense. She leaned over the edge of the dock and met herself in the water's reflection. A teardrop fell from her cheek onto the water, its wrinkles spread across blurring her own reflection. "Perhaps this is how it has always been. A gigantic lake linking us, amplifying every said word…"

Behind her the dock creaked slightly, "What are you doing here? Have you come to watch me drown in self-pity? To gloat about it?" She did not receive an answer, only a huff. She turned from the water and towards her guest, "Is that the proper way to greet an old friend?"

"Iruka-sensei?" the boy said, he walked into the booth and took a seat. "Ah, Lee. How are you doing? I hope all is fine…" Iruka's voice was not like its normal self, it was careless and monotone.

"Iruka-sensei, me and Gai-sensei saw what happened, half of Konoha did actually… It doesn't have to end that way you know."

Iruka dropped one of his chopsticks into his soup, he rubbed the bridge of his nose in an agitated fashion, "You know Lee, if you knew the _whole _story, you might understand why we don't quite communicate, she and I." He looked away to think about it himself, why couldn't they?

"But all she wanted was for you to accept her apologies! Right? The only words from her were 'I'm sorry'…"

"No, you're right Lee. But I'm not sure if I should accept them, and even so, am I really ready to?" the man looked at his previous student, one that became a ninja with success regardless of his setbacks. His eyes showed more determination than his own would ever hold. "Sensei, as long as you know… She doesn't want to lose you as a friend. You mean a lot to her."

The Chuunin sighed defeated, "How do you know that? You've never even met her…"

"I saw it in her eyes! They showed much determination like mine! She doesn't want to give up! But if she must…"

He saw the sad look in the boy's eyes, '_I understand, but do I want to…_'

The man had stepped closer into the moonlight, Zaku's eyes shot up towards his hitai-ate. '_Rock? This ninja is far away from home_...' She stood up slowly to her wobbly feet, "I don't know who you are, 'friend', but if I were you I'd leave before the guards find me, Iwa-scum." He just looked at her, slightly confused. He noticed her knees were getting weak, the redness in her eyes and the way her voice crackled. With a gasp her knees buckled and she fell to the floor, within a second he had caught her, "Easy now Zakura, don't exert yourself."

He slowly brought her onto the dock, as she sat she looked into his beige eyes. They were emitting a certain kindness, something familiar. She couldn't break eye contact, "I know you, right?"

He simply nodded and embraced her, "It's okay if you don't remember, the jutsus do that to you."

He watched from the shadows, the embrace enticed him to rethink his following action. He seemed to be on a good foot with her, should he let the stranger convince her? He looked again with care, as the moonlight shone upon the man's hitai-ate he recognised the symbol, '_Rock? In Konoha? Does this mean war_?'

He clenched his fist, the embrace also enticed him to interfere from pure jealousy. He saw Yeazakura move, for the first time in 10 minutes. She placed her hand on the Rock-ninja's arm, she nuzzled her head into his chest. The smile on her face suggested she felt safe, that she knew this person, '_Perhaps she has given him a change of heart. Perhaps an old friend from her painful days_…'

He shook off his thoughts, the good, the bad and the plausible ones. He crawled back into the shadows keeping a watchful eye, if something might ever occur.

"That's quite a situation… I think a lot of people are waiting for your apologies." he said, the smile on her lips faded as they curled up to pout.

"I know, I already tried to apologise to the one I hurt the most… He didn't accept it though."

"Maybe it was the way you asked him to-?"

"I grovelled in the dirt for him." Her eyes looked stern into his, showing pain but mostly sadness. "I'd do it again if he asked me to…"

"Do you love him?" That was the most dreaded question in her life, she loved him yes, but only as a friend, she told herself. Her heart had found itself another home, "No, not in the way you loved her. Iruka is-, was, my best friend."

They both had looked away, the memories reminisced were not pleasent ones, "I'm starting to believe that ship has sailed, and on its way it sank to the bottom of the deep blue sea."

He placed a hand on her shoulder and gripped it tightly, "Just build another ship, one that is stronger, faster… More durable." She smiled at their analogy, in return he laughed at her smile. With his other hand he reached into a back pocket, whisking out a few ryo bills, "Here, this should be enough to eat and sleep tonight and tomorrow. It's not much, but it'll do." She looked at the money in awe, this was more then he ever owed her, "Thank you so much Kei, I'll consider this as your payment of your debt."

Their smiles were different in the moonlight, they were more honest. He looked up at the shadows near the dirt path, "Someone's coming, I have to leave now… Hang in there musume-chan."

Before she could blink she figure had left, she could still feel the warmth of his hand on her shoulder. She turned towards water again, this time her reflection was slightly happier as she saw an old face bring new memories.

"_Gai-sensei, what are you doing here in the shadows_? _Didn't you have a talk with that lady_?" the man smiled with his arms crossed, "_There was no need boy, another old memory talked to her. C'mon, we can leave now_."

"_Hai sensei_…"

With her back towards the approaching man, she could only hear his weary footsteps. As the dock creaked again she turned her head, her cheeks once more decorated with tears, sudden ones that had no right being there, "Iruka…"

She felt herself get weak and submitted to him once more, she bowed so deep her forehead touched the dock. Her hands were neatly folded in front of her. He had come closer and sat on his knees in front of her. He reached out towards her shoulder, she slowly rose her head. As he lifted her chin to raise her stare he found her eyes were closed, he stroked her hair then brushed it aside, "What do you want me to do Yeazakura? _Tell me_…"

His voice changed again, it was almost back to normal as it still had a hint of anger. She looked up at him into his eyes through the tears, "F-forgive me, Iruka? It's all I can think of…"

"I'm guessing there's a lot more behind this then just wanting Kakashi's attention when we were young right?" he smiled slightly and unsure of himself but slowly a tiny smile broke through Zaku's tears. He closed his eyes and nodded once. The smile on her lips was greater than ever before, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him amazingly tight. "Thank you Iruka! _Thank you so-" _

"On one condition."

Her tears halted as her friend from then cupped her cheek, in a fashion he had never before,

"I get one kiss from you, from the lips I touched only once, and probably never will again after this."

These were a few of the words she reckoned to never hear from him, ever. Seeing as she didn't protest against this, did she mind at all? Even as she looked at him, leaning in and closing the gap between them there was no interfering from her end. She let it happen, seeing as she wasn't a woman in a relationship, it wouldn't matter too much according to her conscience.

With just about the same force she started to kiss back, Iruka got more than he bargained for as his tongue slipped between her lips during a sudden gasp. But there was doubt involved. Did he do the right thing? Shouldn't he have waited a little bit longer? In his mind the words she whispered to him didn't remotely resemble 'thank you', but it was all he got to hear.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 9: Shh! My Secret Dinner With A Popular Teacher And Infamous Student!**

_'I always thought I was a very generous person, I guess I didn't look hard enough to find you. I noticed you're more of a generous person now, than I ever was or could be. I couldn't give my love that easily, but I can give my money.'_

"Thank you Iruka! _Thank you so much_…" her voice was happy despite the tears.

'_I love you too, Yeazakura…'_ He shook his head, he should've thought that thought years ago, not in the heat of this moment. The thought had dispersed as well as his smile, he loosened the hug from his side as he heard her stomach growling. He saw her frown as she clutched her stomach, "You haven't eaten all day, have you?"

She didn't say a word, only look down and nodded. He smiled as he stood up, he offered her his hand,

"C'mon, let's get some ramen."

By the time they were walking the streets they were almost empty, the gossiping people from earlier had gone home to gossip some more. Still, Yeazakura had tucked in her hair and adjusted her mask appropriately now, unless she wanted to it wouldn't budge. She was walking behind Iruka only by a bit, her hands fidgeting close to her chest. He looked back to see her looking around paranoid, "Are you okay?"

She jumped a little at his voice and got pulled back down to earth, "I'm fine, I just had the feeling we were being watched." She had caught up with him as he chuckled and said, "That's a ninja's life…"

He pushed aside the little curtains and stepped into the warm inviting ramen booth followed suit by Zaku.

As she was slowly taking in the aroma from her ramen soup, she rolled up the sleeves of her oversized uniform. "Zaku, may I ask where you got that uniform from? It's obviously not yours…" Iruka said before taking a bite from his ramen.

"I borrowed it from Kotetsu-kun, he had a spare left. Surprisingly enough it doesn't smell like him though, and it's not really his size either." Iruka pondered, a few stitches were noticeable on the sleeves and trousers. He knew only one person with the matching scars, "Zaku, I think I know who-"

"Iruka-sensei!" Yeazakura's head shot up, "Oh no!" As quick as light she pulled up her mask, Iruka stammered, "N-Naruto, what are you doing here?"

"I had the munchies for midnight ramen!" the boy said as he attacked his ex-sensei with a hug from behind. He took a seat between the two and only then noticed, that they were there together.

"Iruka sensei, isn't she the lady we caught today? Sakura's sister?" the blunt question made Iruka doubt if he should answer, he looked over the student and into Yeazakura's eyes. She shook her head as her eyes widened, "It's no use Zaku, he'll find out later." He looked back at the student,

"Yes Naruto, that's the lady."

"But, she has a boy's name!" he exclaimed, Yeazakura placed her hand on his shoulder and turned him on his seat. "Naruto, my name is Yeazakura, yes I am Sakura's older sister, no I am not on a date with Iruka and yes I would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell her I'm in Konoha. I want to do that myself when I see her."

The boy looked up in awe, her mask was down around her neck as her beauty mesmerised him. He simply nodded as he was still looking at her, his sensei turned him around, "Naruto, how about some ramen?"

Her eyes shimmered at the smile Iruka's lips beheld, his eyes were looking at the boy as if it were his own. She never thought he'd be mature enough to be such a father-like role-model.

"Naruto, since you're in the same squad as Sakura-chan," she said, the boy nodded as he continued gobbling his fourth bowl. "I was wondering if you could keep an eye on her. I knew she wouldn't grow strong without me there for her… But at least she has her intelligence, right?"

The smile on her lips drew the boy's eyes again, with his mouth filled with ramen he simply nodded again.

"Thank you Naruto-kun… You know, when I was your age I was quite the prankster, most of my pranks involved Iruka or Kakashi…" she said thinking to herself, Iruka replied to that open thought in vain,

"Please Yeazakura, don't go into that."

"You know, I pulled off some memorable pranks!" Naruto said pointing his thumb at himself.

"Really? Tell me about it…" Her voice was genuinely interested which made Iruka stare at her, "Really? Well, one of the best ones was my Sexy No Jutsu in class!"

Iruka gasped loudly and quickly muffled Naruto with his hand, "_You're not telling her that story_ _Naruto_! _Terrible things might happen…_"

The boy visibly stiffened up, sweating beads. "Iruka, I think I'd like to hear this story… Do you mind?" She carefully removed his hand from the boy's mouth, "Go on Naruto."

Iruka sighed and dropped his head on the counter. "We had to transform into Iruka-sensei, instead of that, I transformed into this really hot girl I saw on a picture once! The Jutsu makes you basically naked, covered with only clouds!"

The look on Naruto's face made her laugh wholeheartedly, "That doesn't sound too bad, go on!"

The boy grinned devilish, "It gave Iruka-sensei a giant nosebleed!"

"That's enough Naruto!" the man said.

"Iruka-kun, you perv. If I had known you were into that…" Yeazakura teased him, her voice mockingly seductive. With his face still against the counter he muttered as loud as he could, "The picture he saw was yours…"

"Ehh?!"

"You still haven't told me why and how you had such a picture of me, recently?" The man ignored this and turned his wallet upside down, empty. He sighed and stood up, "Well, should've seen that coming…"

Zaku's eyes slipped to the stack of empty bowls, than back at the Chuunin, "Here Iruka, take this… It's about half of what he ate."

She offered him the money waiting for him to take it, he raised his hand and pushed it away. "It's alright Yeazakura, it's my own fault. This happens a lot…"

There was no arguing with that, but arguing with the fact that somebody is offering you free money? That's just crazy but as he turned around she slipped the money into his back pouch, not noticing a thing. As they stepped outside the booth the chilling night air surrounded them, "So Zaku, have you found a place to stay yet?"

She turned to Iruka, he knew the answer was no but she couldn't let him offer you-know-what. She put on a smile and forced her eyes to smile as well, "Now you mention it, I was just heading towards an inn… I'm fine, really."

She started to walk away before he could say anything, all he did was wave at her as she waved in return.

As the cold night motivated the Chuunin to run faster towards home, he picked up his pace. Reaching into his back pouch for his keys, he felt something new in there, it felt like paper? He took out the paper and saw it was the money Zaku had offered him, smiling he thought to himself, '_So she learned how to be generous and persistent as well, she's grown a lot…' _

Arriving in his bedroom he flipped on the switch, everything exactly where he had left it. He took off his vest and shirt as he sat on his bed, he reached under his bed whisking out an old shoebox. It wasn't covered with dust, surprisingly it seemed opened recently. He opened the shoebox, revealing at least over 2 dozen pictures, old ones. He picked up the one he cherished the most, him and Yeazakura at a festival, together. With a pissed off Kakashi, standing in the background. That day made him smile, but sad and torn as well. It was the day that she broke up with him, telling him she actually loved Kakashi, telling him she couldn't go on like this anymore. He placed the picture back in the box, picking up the one Naruto got his inspiration for his Jutsu from. He sighed and thought to himself,

'_Good old memories, I hope they never fade…_'

**Chapter 10: Shh! My Secret Sleepover With Secretive People!**

_I feel bad not being able to have come here in the past... But I guess it can't be helped. Being held captive isn't something you choose for, and not being able to go the memories, makes you think about them more...'_

_This entire chapter is a flashback from before Yeazakura left, consider it a dream of wants_..._ Figure out whose dream it actually is by yourself_..._ Next chapter will be in the present, revealing more of their relationship and her painful past_..._ Let me know what you think..._

How long more must she suffer, to realise the world is no place for her? How long must she wander in the cold, to realise she has to stay out of the wind? With midnight passing around the corner, her feet passed several trees. They led her to a place she wished to be long forgotten, but every day not spent there only made her think of it more. The wind caressed her scars as it told a story, a story that can be told everywhere, anytime. It's never inappropriate to share a tale of pain, but the wind had more to tell than she could bear. Her feet had been stepping for hours now, as her mind dreaded this day for years.

She had reached her final destination, at least for the night. In her right arm she held roses, not a dozen though, only 7 or so. In her left arm she held a futon, neatly folded. Though the moment she stepped towards the stone, she the futon dropped from her arm onto the grass beneath her feet. Slowly her finger traced a set of names, six to be precise. Every name traced was a rose placed, the last rose she held between her fingers. The moon's rays coloured it a gentle blue instead of white, but no matter in what angle or hue she would look at the rose, she looked at it in disgust.

She placed this one at the bottom of the monument, just before her feet, as the others lay gently on top of the rock. As the futon was laid in place her mind still wandered. Now lying there, gazing at the stars, she spoke for the first time in hours. A silent whisper taken by the wind, "_Don't you just love the stars Obito_? _I bet it feels great to be among them_..."

Stretching her arms to the side made her think of the times she slept there before. Often she'd be lying in the middle, whilst her teammates rested on her arms. Never again would that happen, since they were among the stars as well now. "_No more pain, no worries_..._ Just, being there_."

A deep, harboured sigh left her chapped lips, "_Please sensei, watch over me_..."

The wind took her last breath for the night and whisked it towards the trees, it rested upon silent ears. And the silent feet that came with those ears, made their way to the stone, silently of course.

The person, the rightful owner of the feet and ears, looked down upon the frail form. Thinking what an easy coupe de grace she was, though, beautiful and lively at the same time. Not sure what thoughts had priority, not caring either, he placed his own covers over the young woman. Careful not to wake her, he took place next to her on the grass and enjoyed the sight he was given. The stars as well as the girl beside him, looking at them in peace is what he wanted though the one distracted him too much from the other.

As a child, he was told that people would tell the truth in their sleep... Just whisper them the question and the answer shall follow. But was it the right thing to do? To violate her sleep and trust like that? As he laid there beside her, his thoughts wandered with his eye along her curved being. Her cheeks, lips... following the covers downwards to her chest, he watched it move in a steady rhythm. Carefully he leaned in to study the rhythm of her heart, but was surprised with a whisper from the lips.

He could not believe his ears, those words were the last he had hoped to hear from those precious lips. Should he believe them? The lips? The words that came from them? After all she was asleep, it might have been an unconscious slip of the tongue. He tried to shake off the thought that it might be true as her lips had whispered many lies before. As his gaze returned to her she wasn't on her back anymore, she had retracted her arms close to her and rolled over. In a way she must have sensed him being there as she had rolled over, closer to him. It seemed she longed for contact, her face distorted into a grim frown. A nightmare had occurred, should he comfort her? Should he let her be?

He tried to fight his emotions with his wants and needs, for now he had won. He looked down again upon the frail form, his finger trailed her frown. It lessened at his touch, had she noticed it was him? His finger had digressed from her frown to her cheek, down to her bare neck. As he passed a certain spot she shivered under his touch, at this he smiled. At this, he remembered nice moments with this spot and his lips, moments he couldn't resist bringing back to live. He slipped his mask to its rightful place when he was with her, around his neck. He kept his finger around the spot as he slowly brought his lips closer, the moment she felt his breath on her cold skin a moan-like sigh seeped through her lips. Only encouraging the man to go on, and so he did.

His lips touched her neck as gently as they could, not quite a kiss yet not 'brushed' against her skin. As he settled his lips down for a real kiss, he delicately nipped at her flesh. The sensitive spot made her muscles contract, letting a strangled moan flow from her still chapped lips. He couldn't believe what he was doing, why was he giving in to her again? Isn't this going to be another disappointment? A simple repeat of 'just then'? Though, nothing about her or their 'relationship' was simple... An intricate web woven of secrets and lies, one mistake. One wrong move could mean the end, pain and misery. Though deceit seemed to show its face first... No, he didn't want to think about this, he didn't want to go there anymore. He just wanted to be now, there with her...

He had crawled closer to her, his hand reaching for her body. Reaching to be in contact with her skin, almost there, _almost_... No. He had to withhold himself. She was not to know he was there, she were not to wake at his touch, not right now. He wasn't even supposed to be kissing her, damn his emotions for being so strong... Damn his wants and needs, for being so strong. His hand doubtingly hovered closer to her, indecisive whether it should hold her shoulder gently and pull her closer... Or retreat to its humble nature, seize this kiss and let her sleep. Her breath seemed like one big moan, never ending except to inhale... Even then it sounded like a song dedicated to him, a rhythm followed by the wind.

He couldn't pull back his lips, he wanted to, at least that's what he told himself... But he couldn't. The weak spot for this girl never left his heart, or the big-gaping-hole-that-used-to-be-his-heart. The latter being more suitable since her 'departure' had left him empty, as well as other people who thought of her like this. Maybe not as strong but still, there's only one degree of _love_... That's being _in_ love, with someone, together. Was he in that state?

He opened his eye again, he found himself on the futon beneath the covers, yet still outside. When did that happen? He had sworn himself to just sit next to her and look over her fragile sleeping form through the night... Now he was back at square one, under the sheets with her. But, it all was over so sudden. Looking to his right, he saw the sleeping girl. Wearing a mask. When he felt his own lips. Covered by a porcelain mask. Had he been dreaming?

They were under the stars Obito provided, on the futon she nicked from home and under the covers he brought along. As a light tingling sensation ran to his fingers and back to his shoulder, he looked back at the girl, long blue hair spread across the futon. So it seems that somewhere in their 'sleep', he had slipped between the futon and covers, snaking his arm underneath her neck. Several thoughts slipped from his mind as he rolled back closer to her, he placed his other arm over her... Around her and held her close.

Though the one whisper tried to keep him awake all night, the whispers of the leaves soothed his heartbreak away.

- "..._I never_..._ should have said_..._ I loved him_..."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 11 Shh! My Secret Awakening With Secretive People!**

_'I had a dream last night... I'm not sure it was a good dream. It felt good. It felt real. It felt like a memory, 9 years old. I've felt it before. The dream was like, a flashback. But it felt like it was happening all over again, him and me... beneath the stars...'_

The stars had gone, they faded along with the darkness. The sun had scared them away and called upon the birds, their song awakening the rest of the world. A ray of sunlight trickled through the leaves above her head, falling on her closed eyes. The warmth invited her sight to see again, as she peered her eyes open she was welcomed with this nice view. A view of an old face, an old love. Perhaps to be renewed,

"Kakashi, what are you doing here?" She straightened her neck, her arms and her legs. Looking around she saw covers over her and a futon beneath her. She didn't remember bringing those along, she only remembered falling asleep in front of the monument.

"I watched over you, making sure you were okay. Sleep well?" As she groaned whilst stretching her entire body, sitting up straight, she felt his eye wander off.

"What's with the old woman noises?"

The look on his masked face was one she hadn't seen before.

"It's been a while since I slept on something soft..." she said, her hands gripping the covers. She looked up at him again, sitting next to her. His fabric smile, uncertain, "You call this soft? You have a real bed waiting for you at home..."

"As long as it's softer than a rock, it's soft. And to me it's a bed... besides, I bet they burnt my bed ages ago..." she said, whilst scratching her neck she saw him visibly stiffen. "My neck is so sore and itchy... Like I've been stung, or bitten."

As she reached for the edge of her mask, he grabbed her hand. A simple look at his eye, a raise of her brow showed her interest, "It's probably nothing... and if you are bitten it's best you don't scratch."

As her hand stopped resisting, she waited for him to let go, "Kakashi. Hand?"

He looked down at their hands enjoying the warmth, slowly, regrettably he let go. "Kakashi, are you okay?"

Her own hand, now free, reached towards his cheek. The moment she cupped it, trying to feel his temperature, it flushed, "Kakashi, I think you have a-"

"I'm fine. It's nothing." He pulled away so sudden, her hand followed his shadow.

He stood and turned, not away but enough to hide his face, "Your debriefing is in 3 hours, if you want to freshen up you can use my place. Or I could ask Kurenai, she might have some clothing for you as well..."

"How is Kurenai?" He looked back at her, still sitting on the futon, her eyes locked with his.

"She's a Jounin-sensei too now, she has a Hyuuga in her team." He watched her getting up and gather the futon and covers.

"Hm, I hope for her sake it's not the arrogant snooty one. She wouldn't know how to handle him."

"Well, _she_ is very shy. Something they can work on together." His hands were aching to take the damp sheets from her hands, folded neatly.

"Thank you for these Kakashi, I guess the least I can do is drop them off at your place... Wash them or something."

"It's, it's fine. You don't have to do all that. I'll just drop them off at the dry cleaners." She smiled as did he, both disliked their masks though they both were unsure whether or not they could remove their masks around each other. It's been a while and a lost of trust has passed, were they up to it?

He opened the door and showed her inside, "Now that you're here, you might as well freshen up I guess..."

Kakashi knew it was impossible to let her be in a cluttered room, with her 'upbringing' as a habit, she'd start cleaning right away. She held her breath in the hope his house was as she left it, step by step she opened her eyes a bit more. As she turned into the living room, she sighed in a laughing way, "Kakashi, my god... It's, clean."

The sheets threatened to fall from her arms as well as happy tears from her eyes, "It's almost just like I left it..."

"I cleaned up all night, before coming to the monument..." He took the sheets from her arms and tossed them in a hamper, "Let me get you a towel..."

He left her speechless, her eyes were baffled with the spotless floor, the dustless shelves left her amazed, "I guess I rubbed off..."

As she removed the Jounin vest and dropped it on the couch, she rolled up her sleeves for no real reason. She looked around on the shelves, books... A lot of books that weren't there when she left, she picked one up and scattered to a page. Without her knowing she started to read out loud, though in a whisper, "Icha Icha... '_Junko, I don't want to lose sight of you. Not again...' he grabbed her shoulders and pushed his lips onto hers, she tried to resist but she was no match for his prowess, his passion. Their lips melted together burning in the kiss,_"

Her eyes merely scanned the rest of the page and widened in shock, she gasped and snapped the book closed.

Her cheeks were reddened and her heartbeat up, with her eyes still on the book she didn't notice the man already back in the room. In one hand he had clean towels for her, in his other was a uniform, "Oh, I see you've found my book collection..."

His usual lazy voice was strangled, a bit forced. Her eyes trailed from the book to his face, a slight smile traced her mask, "It's.. It's a good book. I think I just need to start at the first page... Maybe even the first volume."

Her shaky voice revealed her nervousness, she turned to put the book back into place and heard him step closer. "I didn't know you liked those kind of books Yeazakura..."

"I didn't, I guess I do now..." She took the towel and uniform from him, but looked estranged at the uniform, "Whose is this? It's too small to be yours..."

"It's yours... You left it here when you- You know... when we-"

"I remember... It's something I could never forget." She brought the shirt to her nose and took a deep breath of the scent, after a small content sigh she said, "It still smells like us..."

"I didn't have the guts to clean it, it was all I had left when you, disappeared." She saw the sad look in his eye as he remembered the moments they shared, the moments they didn't, "Talk about uniforms, whose are _you_ wearing?"

She looked down at the over sized shirt and pants she was wearing, several noticeable stitches pulled her attention, "Iruka asked me the same thing... I borrowed it from Kotetsu-kun, who oddly had a spare laying around at the Hokage's office. Surprisingly enough it doesn't smell like him though, and it's not really his size either."

His hand slowly took a hold of her shirt, around the stomach area, "Does this stitch make sense to you?"

She looked down again, the stitch he mentioned ran from the hem across the stomach to the chest.

"It's a bit familiar, yeah." Her brows furrowed in an unsure way, she looked at his other hand that reached for his own shirt.

Still holding her shirt he now lifted his own, a scar, identical to the stitch, ran from above his hip across his chest. The visible piece of her face turned red, it flushed at the sight of something she had seen a million times, yet not like this. She smiled, "It's been a long time since I've seen those... I see you've even gained a few muscles."

He tugged at her shirt, pulling her closer, not knowing what to do she complied. He closed the gap by stepping towards her, instantly she dropped the towels and clothes and slipped her hands to his stomach. His well formed abs traced by her fingers, his ran through her hair. As their lips were a breath away from contact, they couldn't stand the look in their eyes. So they closed them, and pressed their lips gently against each other.

They didn't care for their masks, they didn't care for their clothes, they cared for their lips... Their tongues pushing at each other, against the fabric. It felt strange but not foreign, they often used to kiss like this. In times they couldn't remove their masks, or like this, getting lost in the heat of the moment. A pant escaped his lips against hers and a moan from hers against his. As he placed his hand behind her head, her hands had slipped over his chest and settled there.

Little footsteps made their way to the living room, "Yoh, Kakashi, I- Woah!"

The voice startled the Jounin, causing them to pull apart. Yeazakura covered her moist mask with her hands, trying to regain her breath. The silver haired one looked to see the dog had turned around, "Yoh Kakashi, I didn't need to see that. If you're going to have girls over from now on, big boy, let me know when-"

"Pakkun, it's okay." he said, he picked up the dog and turned back to the girl.

"Don't you remember me, Pakkun?" Yeazakura said, the dog's eyes were skeptic. He sniffed at her, and frowned, "Yeazakura-chan, you were supposed to take me for a walk. _Eight _years ago!"

She laughed in the most awkward way and petted the dog, "Sorry Pakkun, I was in a rush..."

After they had let the dog go, they sat down for a little talk, she had something burning on her mind, "Kakashi,"

"Hmm?"

"You haven't been with other women since I left." His eye widened in shock, almost suffocating in his own spit, "No! No, of course not! I-!"

"It wasn't a question. Pakkun gave it away... and I would've understood if you had, Kakashi. I would've understood if you were happy with someone else by now..." she said, her eyes staring into her empty mug.

He placed his hand on hers, holding the mug with her, "That's the whole thing, I _can't _be happy with someone else..." She looked away, was it in shame? "Yeazakura, have _you_ been... with someone else?"

She bit her lip, she tried to fight the urge to lie, the urge to spill out the truth, and the urge to cry. "I think I'll take that shower now." her voice was soft, silent and sad. She stood up and walked past him, towel in hand.

Why didn't she answer him? Hadshe _been_ with someone else? Was she too afraid to tell? He rubbed the bridge of his nose, his head was killing him. The moment he heard water running clearly, he knew she hadn't closed the door properly. With his back at the bathroom door, he listened intently, why? He didn't know either. He heard her clothes fall onto the floor, the towel thrown over the tub edge. He heard the velcro of her mask, then he heard it fall onto the ground. He was counting down inside, waiting for that yelp, scream or gasp, but it didn't come. Concentrating on the typical noises he missed a few critical ones, suddenly two arms snaked around his neck from behind, gliding down his chest and resting there. The arms tightened around his neck, the embrace became a chokehold, a strong one. A delicate whisper against his ear made his spine shiver, "_The next time you give me a hickey, don't let me think it was a dream_..."

The lips of that whisper and the arms retreated, Kakashi had turned just in time to catch only a glimpse of her naked form, retreating back into the bathroom. Catching only a glimpse of old scars, and new ones. He sighed, he already thought the old scars were a thorn in his heart. What was the story behind the new ones? He couldn't stand seeing her hurt, seeing those scars made him think of when she was hurt. How much she must have suffered, bled and screamed. He could only imagine what the Rock ninja used as interrogation methods. His imagination didn't leave a pretty sight, he closed his eyes and quickly thought happy thoughts.

Enticing thoughts, about the young attractive woman in his shower, soaping herself in. Rubbing, washing every inch of her magnificent naked form, oh-oh... He opened his eyes, his ear perked up to what he assumed was a whimper. He turned his head and again, he saw the bathroom door wasn't closed properly. He got off the couch and closer to the door, bit by bit he pushed it open. Luckily the shower curtain was around the corner, and closed. As he stepped into the bathroom, he saw bandages stained, covered with blood.

He turned to the curtain, listened to the sounds between the gushing water. It was her, crying softly. The water must be too hot on her wounds, reopening them, he knew firsthand that hurts as hell. He had to help her somehow, a way without scaring her,

"_Kura-chan_, I saw the wounds on your back... Let me help you." Suddenly, the water had been turned off, in a very sad voice he heard her respond, "You, never called me like that before...Why?"

He smiled to himself, "You're no longer 'Zaku'... You've accepted your feminine side now. You said it yourself, 'other women'?"

She sighed, damn herself. She slipped her arm past the shower curtain, holding out her hand. Kakashi smiled once more to himself, he turned to grab the towel and placed it in her hand. He didn't let go though as he felt her tug at it, "Kakashi, not this again..."

She sighed intense this time, not being able to do anything without clothes on she gave in. She released the towel and turned around, facing the tiled wall. She heard the curtain slid open and Kakashi step into some water, "_Just be gentle..._"

**Chapter 12: Shh! My Secret Shower Scene With Secret Regrets! Confession Time!**

'_Should we do this? Should we be in this situation? What do we do when things get out of hand? I don't know if I can control myself, can he control himself? I don't think I want to, but it's too early... I broke too many hearts to start loving again.'_

"_... they're deeper than you're used to_." she whispered, trying to look over her shoulder. He gently dabbed her shoulders with the soft towel,

"_When haven't I been gentle with you_?"

He saw her shiver slightly at the cold draft, or was it his whisper close to her ear? He had stepped closer to her, careful in the slippery tub. As his bare lips closed in on her skin, she wondered, was this the right thing to do? Could she resist, if she wanted to? He gently kissed her unscarred, unwounded neck up and down, slowly. Her breath switched between sighs, moans and gasps, as he performed magic on her skin. As he heard a whimper escape her lips this time, he stopped, "_Yeazakura?"_

A tear fled down her cheek, "_How can you forgive me so easily like that? After what I did?_..._ I had to beg Iruka to forgive me, even then he wouldn't yet_..._"_

He felt her slouch underneath his hands, her arms slipping across her chest, "I love you Yeazakura-"

"Don't say that! I broke your heart! I don't deserve this..." She tore away from his touch towards the wall, almost slipping on the floor. He caught her frail form from falling holding her close, she must really be distracted if her chakra was off. She'd be the last to slip from her feet from anything, "Kura-chan, you have to understand, it's not your fault! You only wanted to be accepted by the men around you, acknowledged."

She shook her head, cupped her face and cried on, "That's not a reason to do it Kakashi, I was wrong! You shouldn't forgive me, let alone _love_..."

"Keep your hand here, I need to get some more bandages." She placed her hand on top of his slipping away from her abdomen, he slid off the couch into the bathroom. There she sat, wondering what happened, what she had done... What she were to do. She couldn't help but wonder, what was written on that page. She only had a quick glance at the page, though the urge to know grew. She stood up and made her way to the bookshelves, picking up the first volume this time. From there on she heard nothing but the pages beneath her fingers and the clock ticking on the wall, her eyes flew over the paper taking in every word. Slowly she shuffled back to the couch, mind her she never removed her hand from the bandage. From her lips the words on the paper resonated, "_He couldn't keep his eyes off her beauty, her radiant blue hair, her smile. She could uplift the darkest man with a simple look, "I must know her name." He pushed through the massive crowd of people, he had to reach her..." _She looked up from the page into nothingness, '_Blue hair?_' She closed the book and looked at the writer's name, she should have known,

"Of course, who else could write this and get away with it?"

Absentmindedly she held the book close to her chest, with her other hand holding the bandage on her stomach. She looked up at her side as something moved in the corner of her eye, "I see you're enjoying the book," He stepped over the back of the couch to sit behind her, he looked over her shoulder to see his hand back on hers. He took over the bandage and finished tending to her wounds, she placed her hand on the leg next to hers, "Ero-sennin wrote these books, for you, didn't he?"

Kakashi sighed, still sitting behind her he took the book from her hands. He opened the cover to show her writing and a signature,

'_To Kakashi-kun, I know you miss her, more than I can think of... In the hopes these books give you closure, and salvation. - Jiraiya-sempai_'

She smiled sadly at the little message, though contently sighed, "He truly is a good friend, and a good writer..."

Kakashi now smiled himself and pecked her cheek, with his arms around her waist he groaned as there were knocks at the front door. As he moved to get up she stopped him, "I'll get it, you've been moving enough."

With the bandages covering her every bit, she only lifted her mask to her face before opening the door, "Yeazakura,"

With her hand on the handle she turned around, "It could be him."

She looked down, "It can't be him, the Third said not to worry about him..."

Kakashi stood up from the lonesome couch and strolled towards her, she let go of the handle and stepped behind him, "Let me open the door, you never know."

The moment the door swung open and light poured in, a tiny person ran into the silver haired Jounin, screaming random things, "I missed you so much! Why didn't you come back to me first?! I don't ever want you to leave again! Do you know how much I cried?!"

Kakashi looked down at the little girl hugging him dearly, he sighed and said, "Sakura-chan, that's very flattering... But I thought you had a crush on Sasuke-kun? Besides, teacher-student relationships are forbidden..."

The girl looked up and let go of the man, her long pink hair scattered in front of her eyes, "You're not my sister! What did you to my sister?!"

"Sakura-chan, take it easy! She's fine, right sensei?" Naruto said, he comforted the girl as he patted her shoulder. The male Jounin nodded and stepped aside, revealing a beaten, tired and bandaged young woman.

"Ane-chan!" the little girl shouted, she ran to her sister and jumped in her arms. With her arms around the girl's waist, she lifted the little girl to twirl her around,

"Imouto-chan, I missed you too..." She held the girl at arm's length,

"My my, you've grown so much!"

The Jounin looked back at the boys, he then noticed a Chuunin trying to get away, "Iruka, what are you doing here?"

He froze and turned around slowly, "I'm sorry Kakashi, the kids wouldn't leave me alone unless I showed them where you lived. We all had a hunch she'd be here..."

The Jounin nodded, was it that obvious? As the Chuunin peered into the hall, his eyes widened as he saw the bandages on her back. Even though just freshened, they were already stained a bit red, "Kakashi, w-what happened to her?"

The Jounin turned to look at the woman, he could name a thousand things that happened _to_ her, _with_ her and _against_ her. He turned back to the Chuunin, feeling beat himself, "Why don't you ask her? I'm sure she'd tell you, now that Sakura is here she was going to anyway."

"I'm not sure I can tell her just yet Kakashi, I mean... It's a lot to go through when you're 16. To hear about it at 12 may be a bit harsh." With reluctance she looked at the living-room scene from the kitchen. Kakashi stood with some drinks on a tray,

"Just start from the beginning, we still have a few hours 'till the debriefing and briefing."

The thoughts were mauled over and over in her mind, "You're right, 'sides... She has the right to know what happened."

As they slowly walked into the warmth and joy of the others, they didn't seem affected. Kakashi placed the tray on the table and sat on a chair, Yeazakura on the other hand sat on the couch next to her little sister. The Chuunin didn't even bother to sit down, whilst boys sat on the couch across, "Iruka-sensei! How did you even get to know such a pretty lady anyway?"

"N-Naruto, that's a very delicate story. I don't think I should-"

"Nonsense Iruka, you should. Why don't I tell the story?" Yeazakura said, as she looked down she noticed the little pink haired girl made her way onto her lap. She cuddled up against the warmth of her sister's chest, not wanting to let go. The raven haired boy across them huffed and said,

"Sakura, why are you behaving so childish?"

She opened her saddened eyes and closed them again at the touch of her sister's voice, "When I left, Sakura was five. I think when you saw me, Imouto-chan, the feelings you had back then erupted."

"I had the same thing. Kakashi, what about you?" Iruka seemed to be able understanding things more now.

"I feel like I'm 19 all over again..." Kakashi said as he wobbled on the chair, he couldn't sit still for some stupid reason. The moment the chair started to creak meant bad news.

"Creak anymore and the chair will break, if it won't by itself I'll do it for you..." Sasuke said, receiving many strange stares, "I don't like creaking things..."

He slowly stood up from the chair, slightly creaking. He took the chair and placed it behind the couch, before he sat down next to Yeazakura. A moderate amount of space between them.

"Ane-chan," Yeazakura looked down to meet her sister's eyes, "they took away father today. ANBU came and took him away! Why?!"

The girl curled up against her sister even more, "It's all part of one big story Sakura, one painful story."

The girl looked up at the woman, "Tell me?"

Yeazakura looked at the man next to her, then at the one across. Both didn't seem to mind, they'd love to hear it for themselves from her point of view. "When I was about your age, I failed the Jounin test, again...

_I felt like I couldn't go home, because I knew he'd be waiting there for me. Waiting to yell at me, to hit me for being lazy, a failure... No matter what I did I was never good enough in his eyes, the eyes of my father. You weren't born for another few weeks so I worked hard and studied when I could. I passed the Genin tests at 6 joining a squad. When I was 8 I passed the Chuunin exams, after failing several times before. When I failed the Jounin exams for the second time, I wanted to run away, from home, my problems... So for that day I ran, I ran as far as I could, but one way or another I always ended up at the academy._

_I sat in the tree, the branch above the swings was my usual place, but that time the swings were taken. I looked down and saw this cute boy, about one year older than me. But no matter how cute he was I already had a crush on someone else, he was a Jounin and three years older. But the last time I saw him, he was an arrogant little fellow, always strict and by the book. He never looked my way, which was also one of the reasons I sat in that tree. In that tree I always cried, this time I cried not only for unrequited love, but for my own failures as well. When I looked down at the boy on the swings, I heard him crying too. I saw all the kids leaving with their parents except for this one, was that his story? As I lay upon the branch, I asked him my question, "Why are you all alone, why are you crying?"_

_The boy was startled, he jumped from the swings and looked up at me. As he tried to wipe his tears when he looked at me, it was then that I saw this cute scar across the bridge of his nose."_

"Wait, you thought the scar on my nose was cute?"

"Yes Iruka, now let me tell the story..." She sighed as she continued..._ "W-who are you?"_

"_My name is Yeazakura... What's yours?" I said as I jumped down._

"_Iruka, Umino Iruka..." He looked at me in a way I couldn't explain, I think I saw him blush. But why would he blush? I was wearing a mask over the bottom half of my face, you could only see my eyes and my long blue hair. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be staring."_

"_That's okay, why were you crying?" I asked him, I sat down on the swings as he sat down on the grass, "My life sucks... I'm a terrible ninja. Orphaned a few years back. I'm just the class clown really."_

_I saw the sadness in his eyes, and I always thought my life sucked... apparently I wasn't alone. An orphan eh? In my case that would have been really nice, "My life sucks too, according to the teme I call my father I'm a terrible ninja as well. I always fail at everything before even coming close to succeeding, and even then, he beats the crap out of me."_

_I showed him the bruises on my arms, he saw the pain in my eyes and frowned. He pulled my sleeves down, gently took my hand and shook it, "I guess we're already a lot alike..."_

_I realised, that in those few minutes I knew him I had interacted more with him, compared to the years and few words I had exchanged with the other boy."_

"So, did you kiss him Onee-san? Did you?" Naruto said, Yeazakura smiled, sadly though. "No, it wasn't until a year or so later that we kissed, in the meantime I finally met the other boy-"

"Kakashi-sensei, of course." Sasuke said.

"How did you know? You never knew me as an arrogant, strict by the book boy." the man said, rubbing his chin. The Uchiha just smirked.

"I'm pretty sure it was really obvious Kakashi, now... On with the story?

_It wasn't until a year had passed that the other boy sort of approached me, it was on a hot summer day and I was camping at the lake with Iruka. I finally passed my Jounin exams, and he wanted to celebrate by swimming in the lake._

"_I, I don't know Iruka-kun." I said as I stared into the water, eyeing my reflection._

"_You don't know how to swim? I can teach you if you want?"_

"_I know how to swim, I just don't like to... expose my skin." He had this weird look on his face, "Remember when I told you about my father? The way he beats me... It scars, really bad."_

_He looked down at my reflection and into my eyes, he took my hand and said, "You don't have to take your clothes off, just jump in like this."_

_I looked down at my clothes, it was possible. I had to find a way to cool down at any rate, so I ditched my vest, pouches and shoes. I looked at him as he again held my hand, we took a few steps back and leaped into the lake. Splashing water onto the dock and onto each other, neither of us noticed we were being watched. After a while I climbed back onto the dock, my uniform stuck to me like a second skin. It revealed every curve, seeing I was physically quite mature for a thirteen year old._

_It wasn't until I finished drying my hair that I felt the eyes on my back. As Iruka was still drying his own hair, I decided to hide all his hair ties and told him they fell into the water. That way it gave me some time to investigate the strange feeling, as I sensed it coming from the trees. As I stood up I wrung the excess water from my shirt and walked into the woods. I looked around quickly to see Iruka still diving for his hair ties. But by accident, I stepped onto a twig which snapped loudly. I gasped, birds flew away and something stirred in the distance. I stood next to a tree and tried to look around one further away. It seemed someone tried to hide behind it as I saw his hair stick out. I didn't move a muscle, I was so still a bird almost landed on my arm. As I waited till the person would look around the corner I heard him move. He turned to look at me and I saw his mask, he wore a porcelain oni-mask, 'Why is ANBU spying on us?'_

_He noticed me trying to come closer, he hid behind that tree and leaped into its branches. As I stood beneath that tree I spoke to him, "I already saw you, it's useless to hide."_

_Nothing, "I can recognise your mask."_

_Still he didn't so much as move. Looking between the branches and the leaves I saw his hair once more, his longish silvery hair. Suddenly he looked down, straight into my eyes. I gasped and tripped backwards, when I regained my posture I jumped to my feet and ran. I ran back to the dock and the last few feet I walked backwards, looking into the woods. Suddenly I bumped into Iruka, I turned around and looked him in the eyes. Or at least I tried, the way his wet hair framed his face caught my attention. The water dripped from his hair onto his chest and trickled down to his abs. I may have blushed-"_

"May? You were blushing as hell, darn cute too!"

"Iruka! I'm trying to tell a story from _my_ point of view, okay?"

The man snickered, "Sorry..."

She smiled and sighed, again she continued...

"_Zakura-chan, I think you lied to me about my hair ties."_

"_W-why would you think that?" I replied, he stepped closer to me, from the corner of my eyes I saw he was twirling a hair tie around his finger._

"_Because I found them in your pouch..." Again he stepped closer but I couldn't move, I just stood there as he leaned in towards my lips. His other hand gently slipped down my mask revealing my 'huge' blush, "M-maybe I put them there so you wouldn't lose-"_

_Gently he kissed me, for some strange reason I felt so giddy. Maybe because it was my first kiss, and I was thinking to myself, 'He really has soft lips for a boy. Do all boys have soft lips?'_

_Absentmindedly I kissed back, feeling his hand slip into my hair I smiled into the kiss._

"How cute Onee-san! Iruka-sensei was your first kiss..." Naruto seemed to be ecstatic about it, but it also seemed he had forgotten about the ANBU in the woods.

"Yeah yeah, very cute," Kakashi said as he looked at his clock, "it's almost 8, we have to get going if you want to be on time for your debriefing and our briefing." The silver haired Jounin was being stared by all his students, their sensei? On time?

"You're right Kakashi, I'll finish the story another time." she said. The little girl on her lap sighed, "You're not coming home any time soon, are you?"

Once again she looked her in the eyes, "It never really was a home to me, except for you Sakura-chan."


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter is pretty long, I'm sorry if that's bothersome, there's just this flashback I can't edit out. Enjoy 3

**Chapter 13: Shh! My Secret Mission; A Hunt, A Chase And My Secret Second First Kiss**!

"Yeazakura, I understand you've been trying to adjust. We expect your mission report in the next 5 weeks, that should be enough time for you to note every detail. Try to remember as much as you can." The Hokage had picked up his pipe and relit it.

"Uhm, about that 'remembering'. I can't remember that much, I mean, I can suddenly remember what happened 14 years ago over breakfast... But the mission is somewhat blurry."

Ibiki turned to her in his seat, motioning her to sit down. "We knew that would happen, trauma does that to you. I'm quite surprised you're still alive to be honest, I don't think I would've survived Iwa-torture. I'm proud of you Musume-chan, you're a real interrogation nin."

Yeazakura smiled, her eyes radiated true happiness, "Ibiki-sempai, I never really understood why you call me Musume-chan..."

"Because whenever you couldn't rely on your father, I was there for you. It started when you accidentally called me Chichi-san."

"Cell 7, you and your sensei will accompany this 'stranger' and bring back a criminal, covertly. A fugitive that's hiding in a border village."

"Hai Hokage!"

"You will leave tomorrow and are expected there within 3 days, be careful on your way back though. Take the time you need, he's said to be very dangerous." As the squad bowed, Kakashi received the mission scroll, tucking it away in his vest.

"Ane-chan, do you need anything from your room?" Yeazakura looked down at the girl, stopping in her tracks. "I know that even though father isn't there, you don't want to stop by."

"That's not it Sakura-chan, I would if I could. But the Hokage forbade me to contact family except for you. At least until after this mission."

The Genin nodded and wanted to turn on heel to walk on, but as the blue haired Jounin stopped her she whispered in her ear, "_Bring back the diary underneath the loose floorboard in my closet, the one you've been trying to unlock is a dummy."_

She looked up in shock, then shook off the thought. Her older sister knew those things by just looking at you, she always has.

As Yeazakura sat on his bed, the man rummaged through some drawers. She laid down on her stomach as she read the mission scroll, "Kakashi, have you read the mission details?"

She tried to stifle a laugh in her voice as she received a denying answer.

"Why? Does it say we need to cross-dress?"

"Worse, we have to pretend we're married and that your Genin are our kids."

"What?! You have to be kidding me!" His hands stopped rummaging the drawers and snatched the scroll from her hands, his eye frantically searched for any words stating that detail. As Yeazakura slipped from his attention she gently glided to his dresser and ruffled through the drawers herself.

"I still don't know what kind of guy you are Kakashi, you have tightie whities, boxers _and_ boxer-briefs..." she exclaimed holding up a pair of his underwear. As his arms grabbed her waist and pulled her up, and against him, she yelped and the underwear dropped from her hands to the floor, "My underwear is not your business, so buzz off."

He dragged her away from the dresser and dropped her on his bed.

"Ha, your underwear is all my business... I still have quite a few of yours in my closet." she said as he lay down next to her, "You mean the one your sister is going through?"

"Oh dear..."

"Iruka-sensei, if you were her first kiss, how is Kakashi-sensei related into this?" the boy said, he had stuffed his pack with instant ramen, now it failed to close.

"Kakashi is- was the reason, why she and I broke up... I always thought he was also the reason why she left, but, you'll just have to ask her to tell the story when you set up camp or something." The Chuunin sat on the windowsill, looking at the boy packing, he wondered why he never taught him that. The pack was ready to explode at the seams, "All done!"

"Don't forget your sleeping bag..." the Chuunin said, the boy groaned, he emptied the back and restarted packing.

"The mission scroll said nothing about us having to pretend we're married." he said as he held her against him.

"Then what did the scroll say?"

"It said that you, me and the genin need to be able to work covert and mingle."

"Meaning that we might have to go undercover as a couple with kids. It's the most suitable cover, it's that simple Kakashi." He smiled as he looked down at her. With her smug eyes closed he planted a kiss on her forehead. "Then what do we do with our weapons?"

She smiled as she opened her eyes at him, "We hide them just as good as you hide your face, about that... You might want to bring along a scarf, or sprout a beard."

"What about you?"

"I'm a woman, I'll just bring along my fan with serrated edges and hidden blades." He looked at her with his eyebrow raised, "Don't you remember what your father did to it?"

She narrowed her eyes and cursed under her breath as she remembered her father had destroyed it in front of her... Telling her she'd never become a lady, nor a decent Kunoichi.

"Well we can't get caught using henge jutsus, might as well storm through the village beating everyone up."

As they walked into the living room, he stopped by the bookshelf and quickly ran his finger past the titles. He picked out the one that was upside down and stuffed it in his pocket, "You're going to read that, during the mission, perhaps even in public?"

"Of course... Where would you read it?" he retorted.

"Well, I don't know... The privacy of my own house, preferably the bedroom?" As she said this he had stepped closer to her, leaning in at her ear, "_Is that a suggestion, Kura-chan_?"

She blushed lightly at his whisper, but wildly at the heat that his body transferred onto hers. "Why are you so attractive?" she said whilst frowning and sighing at his comment. "Besides, I'm here now, you don't need that anymore. Right?"

"Well well sensei, so it seems this woman does you good. You're on time, two days in a row." Sasuke said as he smirked at the man.

"Very funny kids, let's just get to the walking alright?" As Kakashi let the two boys fight for the lead, he himself walked in the middle with the Haruno sisters behind him. Sakura pulled out a reddish book with a white circle from her pouch and handed it to her sister, "Ane-chan, I just have one question, whose male-underwear was in your closet?"

The moment Kakashi heard this he snickered, trying his best to stifle his laughs, "Well, Sakura-chan... Those belong to this guy I dated, don't worry, they're clean."

"I noticed that, but they smelled like cinnamon and dogs. Though I only remember you dating one guy that came over a lot, secretly. And he looked a _lot_ like Kakashi-sensei." Yeazakura bit her lip, should she tell? "That's because he was that guy..."

"Ehh?! You mean I touched my sensei's underwear?! Disgusting!" the girl screamed as she tried to rub the feeling from her hands. Kakashi turned his head around and said, "Your sister doesn't seem to think that way, she had her hands all over my underwear this morning!"

"Kakashi, stop tormenting the girl!" Yeazakura tried to cover the girl's ears in vain and brushed her fingers through the pink hair.

Suddenly, the two boys had stopped and waited for the others to catch up.

"Boys, something wrong?" The man eyed their smirks.

"Nothing sensei, we were just wondering if Onee-san could resume her story?" Naruto looked slyly at the female jounin, who looked at Kakashi from the corner of her eyes. "Naruto, can't you wait till we've set up camp?" Kakashi said.

"It's okay Kakashi, it beats walking and small talk. It doesn't matter until we reach the vicinity of Kuni Iriguchi. Though, where did I leave off?"

"You and Iruka kissed." Kakashi muttered under his breath, it wasn't really an indicator of where she had left off, more like an indicator that the kiss still bothered him. She had to swallow hard though, she had almost mistaken his mutter as a reference to more recent kiss she shared with Iruka. Yeazakura took out the little red and white book, and opened it on a marked page, "Right. About a week after that kiss…

_Iruka and I started going out together, it was something that happened, we never really discussed it. We were together and we were a couple, we never said we were but the way we acted slightly gave it away. Slightly is a huge understatement in this case, because people looked so happy at us as it seemed we looked really happy too. Don't get me wrong, Iruka was and still is a great guy I guess, but I never felt _happy_-happy. I felt like I was missing something, something that ANBU guy took from me, something the arrogant little boy stole. Even though I appeared real happy, it was a masquerade that I tried to keep up._

_Another year had passed and I was 14 now, we'd been a something for a little over 12 months, but I just felt confused and alone for a year. My pattern at home didn't change, only slightly as my two year old sister took all the attention from my father. I was happy for that, but when he got the chance he'd hit me worse than ever. I never showed or told Iruka about the new scars and wounds, and we never swam again. One day he asked me to the Sakura-festival in Crater City, even though I didn't really wanted to I went. I didn't want to go because I had the feeling 'he' would be there, and I was right. I not only recognised his mask, his hair wasn't easy to miss either. When I saw him I felt like I was drowning, his ANBU uniform leaving just enough for my imagination. I assumed he was there to keep the crowds in check, security stuff._

_From one moment to the other I lost Iruka in the crowd, I couldn't find him anywhere and I started to panic. I couldn't really handle crowds that well. But suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder leading me to freedom, as I looked at the owner of the hand I gasped slightly. He looked like the arrogant little boy but in an ANBU uniform without a porcelain mask, though his body revealed he wasn't a little boy. "Are you alright? I saw you were panicking back there."_

"_I-I'm fine now, thank you very much." I bowed and tried to get away from him and his body, but his hand on my arm stopped me._

"_It's not the real reason why I pulled you aside."_

"_Then w-what is?" I started to stutter, reminding myself to calm down. "I remembered your hair from somewhere, 4 years ago you sneaked onto a class picture didn't you?"_

"_It wasn't my idea! It was my friend's idea! That way he'd have all his friends on one picture he said!" I quickly defended myself, the picture was a stupid idea of Obito, though now I did have a picture of me, him and the arrogant little boy I really liked... Maybe not such a stupid idea after all. He smiled at me, though his fabric mask only wrinkled to show a thin line, "It's alright, I really like that picture thanks to you. You brought some color into it."_

_I stopped trying to get away and stepped back towards him, "I've been trying to talk to you anyway, ever since that photo."_

"_You have? Why?"_

_I heard him laugh softly, "I know you've liked me since forever, Yeazakura-san."_

_I froze, how did he know my name?_

"_But I've been a fool for not noticing it earlier..." I saw his eye staring at me and his posture changed as well, he leaned in towards my ear and whispered something. All I could think of though was that he suddenly liked me for my body, I hoped he could prove me wrong. "__I heard you broke my record on the Jounin exams, it takes a lot of training and skill to do that__."_

_My skills, he praised me for my skills? "You're kidding right? I sucked at the Jounin exams, I'm a terrible ninja. Ask my father..."_

_I turned away from him and wanted to walk on, but he stopped me as he placed his hands on my shoulders from behind. Again he leaned in, his masked lips brushed against my ear as he whispered, "__I recognise a great ninja when I see one, you were faster than me, threw kunai more precise than me. You even aced the interrogation section__."_

_I looked away from him, "I was only able to pass it nicely that time, because I failed twice before. I know the exam like the back of my hand."_

_He slowly turned me around to face him, "Which is good, it only means you keep progressing..."_

_We kept talking like that for about an hour, and still Iruka was nowhere to be seen. The festival was slowly coming to a halt as the last song played, a slow song. I saw a lot of couples suddenly shuffle on the town square, suddenly missing Iruka. He saw the look in my eyes as I watched the dancing couples, he took my hand, "Would you like to dance, Yeazakura-chan?"_

_Even though I was wearing a mask as well he saw my huge smile, I nodded all too gladly as he then led me to the music. As we danced I felt like I was walking on air, he held me so gently I started to think I was made of porcelain. Suddenly he pulled me close as the crowd started to thicken, he then said, "Why is such a pretty girl like you all alone at this festival?"_

"_I'm not alone,"_

"_Yet you can't really say he's your boyfriend?" He was right, I couldn't. He never asked me to be his girlfriend and I never asked him, I wasn't even sure if it was going somewhere, "True,"_

"_You would've said no then, when I asked you to dance, right?" I looked up at him, there was something about his voice that kept me close. Slowly the crowd faded from my mind, the music fell to the background, I swore I saw a twinkle in his eye... And it looked a bit like me._

_Suddenly the music died out and people started to clap and cheer, except for us. He still held me close, suddenly he slipped his mask down and mine as well, 'He's fast...' I thought to myself. As the crowd was still roaring he kissed me, making me forget about everything else in the world. As we kissed I forgot my father, my wounds and scars. I forgot the pain I had in my heart, the missions I passed but the exams I failed. As we kissed, I even forgot Iruka... And when I remember upon it any day, it still hurts me that I did that. From the bottom of my heart I hoped he wasn't watching, but the whole of my heart wanted to kiss the ANBU and tear his clothes apart."_

"Ane-chan, ew! Why did you want to do that?"

She smiled at the girl besides her before her eyes looked up at the Jounin on her other side, "It's what you call, in the heat of the moment. Between him and me... It happened a lot." Kakashi looked aside into her eyes, he slowly took her hand and said, "It happened this morning as well..."

"Sensei! Gross!" Sakura couldn't handle it anymore and ran towards Sasuke, though Naruto slowed down his pace until he walked next to Yeazakura. "Onee-san, who is that ANBU guy again?" The look on his face was priceless, Yeazakura tried to hold back her laughs biting her lip, as she kept looking at his eyes she couldn't stand it. She laughed wholehearted as her hands flew to her face, happy tears sprung to the corners of her eyes as she stumbled forward. Kakashi moved to her old spot, still walking in place, he placed his on top of Naruto's head and gently ruffled his hair, "Sensei, can _you_ tell me who the ANBU guy was?" The man smiled, "Sure Naruto, but first we have to set up camp, it's getting dark."

**Chapter 14: Shh! The First Night Camping With Lovely Love Confessions!**

_'I've got a bad feeling about this mission, there's something, someone waiting for me at the destination of our journey... I'm not sure it's a good thing that I'm not alone, I might have to go undercover by myself. But do I want to?'_

As the sun slowly set, the ninja had found a secluded open area. With the tents set and ready, water gathered, all that was left to do was lit the fire. But you need firewood for a fire, "Ane-chan, why haven't the boys returned yet? They left 20 minutes ago..."

Sakura looked worried into the direction they went.

"I'm not sure, Kakashi, could you go check on them?" The silver haired Jounin nodded and jumped into the trees, leaving the girls in the growing dark. The woman sat down on an old tree trunk, bringing out the red and white diary, "You know Sakura-chan, this book holds a lot of memories from when you were young... From when I was young."

She stepped closer to the woman, sitting down herself, "Did you write everything down?"

"Everything up until I left Konoha, every heartbreak and tear, every laugh, scream and fear."

The man jumped from the tree onto the grass, his eye slowly searching for the boys. As he looked through some bushes, he spotted the boys squatted on the grass. So it seemed they were whispering instead of gathering, but as he looked further behind them he saw a large quantity of dry wood.

"Sasuke, you think we're going to get to see his face this time?"

"We have to, we've been trying for months now..." the gloomy boy said, he then smirked, "You know, I wanna see her face as well."

"You mean Onee-san's? She's really pretty..." the blond had a very casual tone as he said this.

"What? You mean you've seen her face?!" Again, the blond had a very casual tone as he shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, her mask isn't that big of a deal for her... She just doesn't like to share her scars."

"Maybe we'll get to see both their faces..." Sasuke said as he rubbed his chin.

"How the hell do you think that'll that happen?"

"We just have to make them kiss..." Naruto chuckled, "Yeah right, she'd never kiss sensei!"

"Why do you think that?"

"I don't know, for instance, they'd have to get intimate. Meaning comfortable, not really easy with kids around."

"Right, right... We'll have to talk to Sakura about this..." The Jounin smiled to himself, they might get together for the night. "We might be able to force them to share a tent!"

"Sasuke, only god and Jiraiya know what would happen!"

As her finger traced the glued memories, she awed at the pictures in the book, "Wow, I see you always wanted to become an interrogation nin... why's that?"

"I always wanted to know the darkest deepest secrets of people, what better way than studying the person himself? In the training, I learned how to read a body, lips... Even persuading people."

"I guess that came in handy sometime right?" The sisters laughed and smiled, the first time ever about something mature. Only remembering happy memories at silly things, childish things. "Sakura, what do you want to become?"

"Well, a ninja... Isn't that obvious?"

"No, what kind? In what field do you want to specialise?" After pondering minutes, a few frowns on her face she came to a conclusion, "I wanna become a medical nin."

"And I'm happy for that otoumo-chan, that's great! But _why_ do you want that?"

"So I can help people and make them better." The woman ran her fingers through the long pink hair of her sister,

"As long as you remember, not even the _best_ medical nin can mend a broken heart." The girl nodded, then questioned why her sister was suddenly taking off her shirt. "If you really want to become a medical nin, you'll have to learn the basics first. You can watch how your sensei replaces my bandages, ask him anything what seems odd to you."

"Why are you letting Kakashi-sensei do that? Isn't that a bit weird?"

"Why would that be weird?" Sakura seemed to have trouble getting this past her lips,

"After all that happened, with you, Iruka-sensei and him... You leaving so suddenly? How did he come to forgive so easily you like that? I had expected more, uneasiness."

Yeazakura looked away, as she frowned she continued, "Well, it was Iruka who almost couldn't forgive me... He needed someone to persuade him. Even then, I think he let me off too easily. All it took were a few tears, some grovelling in the dirt, twice... All in one night. I would've let myself pay longer, harder... To re-earn that trust and respect again."

The Jounin had enough of this, he stepped from the shrubs looking at her, "You're being too harsh on yourself..."

She looked up at him, with an honest blush and unsure smile.

With the fire started and the sun gone completely now, the boys had scattered around the tree trunk, close to their companions. "Now Sakura, I don't want to frighten you with my scars. They may be too much for you to handle, my wounds... Not all of them are recent."

The girl nodded shakily, her palms were sweaty as she watched her sensei undo the bandages from her sister. His arms going around her waist and chest, their skin touching as he came close to her neck. And her sister didn't seem to mind, were they closer than she thought? She still found it gross that her sensei used to date her sister, since he was nineteen and she only sixteen. And that was when she left Konoha, when they met, he was seventeen... In Sakura's eyes a bit old for a fourteen year-old girl. As he sat behind the woman on the trunk, the girl peered over his shoulder from his side, "Kakashi-sensei, those look like... Burn wounds."

He sighed with remorse, "Yes Sakura-chan, but those are the old ones." Yeazakura looked away, still the girl could see the pain in her eyes, her sensei continued,

"Those were the wounds that wouldn't heal on their own, I had to singe them shut with a hot piece of metal. Medical nins use a jutsu which doesn't hurt mostly, it relieves pain."

As he replaced the bloodied gauze with fresh new ones, he noticed something shiny in the larger gash, something he hadn't noticed before.

"Yeazakura, bite your tongue. This is going to hurt." he said, the young woman braced herself, her knuckles almost white when he tugged at it. She literally bit her tongue as he pulled a shard from the long wound. With one last tug it came from her back, Yeazakura groaned releasing her breath and pain. As the Jounin looked at it, it was a shard of glass roughly the size of a small shuriken. Though flatter of course. The woman was now panting from the pain, fresh blood seeped from the wound. Sakura looked estranged and quite grossed out at the shard, then at her back nearly passing out. The Jounin's eye flashed, he held back both anger and sadness as he threw the shard into the fire. Yeazakura gathered her breath, "At times like these Sakura, we could indeed use a medical ninja."

The girl looked into her sister's eyes, pain galore, as well as sadness and experience.

Her drowsy eyes threatened to fall closed, with her head on his shoulder she peered into the fire. He gently had his arms around her waist, making sure she wouldn't topple over. Though it was still early and the boys were bustling, they asked her to continue the story. "Kakashi, hand me my journal could you?"

As he picked up the little red and white book, he noticed the edge of the bookmark seemed very familiar. He opened it on the marked page, slowly smiling at the picture. The only picture in existence that featured him and Yeazakura, without masks. He handed her the book as he kissed her head, "This part was rough for me...

_It was at least a week after the festival that I had finally seen Iruka, though he didn't want to see me or speak with me. He avoided me for such a long time, I couldn't understand. It was then that Kurenai told me, he had seen me and Kakashi."_

"Kakashi?! You mean you kissed Kakashi-sensei? _Sasuke, it might be easier than we thought!_"

"Shut up moron! Yeazakura, please continue."

The girl frowned at the boys, what were they planning? _"Tough he only saw us talking, he left shortly after that, not being able to take any more. It was Anko though, who told him we kissed, she'd do anything to get him for herself. But he knew that, and even after we 'broke up', he never looked her way. But in that week, Kakashi was out on a mission, and as Iruka kept avoiding me I felt extra lonely. I had no team, they died in the wars, my other friends had _their_ families and missions. I was denied missions by my father, to him it seemed I had enough 'fun' and needed to work on the house, cleaning and such. It pained me to know nobody else knew about the way I hurt, the scars I received weren't ones I could be proud of. The only one who knew and understood decided to ignore me, though he didn't even know all of it. He assumed it had stopped when my sister was born, but from then it only became less frequent, yet way more brute. I felt like I was done, I wanted to die. I had lost my 'boyfriend', I had a 'fling', one scumbag parent, one 'parent' addicted to alcohol, and a sibling _I_ had to raise. Even though I wanted to die I knew I couldn't, being familiar with pain it was something I rather avoided, and if I would pass, who would take care of my sister?"_

She looked at Sakura and smiled slightly, now it was clear to the boys why she was so special to Sakura.

"_The week had passed and I was watching the sun rise, I had pulled a one-nighter, again. It was the only way I could finish cleaning the house in silence, and silence was nice. The outer world didn't seem to know my father's loud voice, his tough fists. They only knew the strong, persistent bookworm, a smart hardworking Shinobi. That night was also the night Kakashi would return, I had hoped to talk to him about my father. I made sure everyone was still asleep as I left silently, in the dawn I sprinted to the one place. The first place he would go to in the morning, the last place he would be in the night. I walked up to him and stopped, I noticed he had brought flowers and placed them upon the stone... Something I always forgot._

"_Yeazakura, you look so tired. Are you alright?" he said as he looked at me, I tried to smile though it failed. My mask wrinkled in such a sad way, he could see the wear and tear caused by my tears. _

"_Yeazakura-chan," he suddenly hugged me, his arms across my wounded back. I grunted at his firm hug, the wounds still fresh, he quickly released me, "are you alright?"_

"_I'm fine..." My second attempt at a smile failed miserably, he brushed aside a lock of my hair. As he looked into my eyes, he saw the redness from the tears. He cupped my face so gently, it felt vulnerable, "Did somebody hurt you? Who did it?"_

_The way his voice sounded, I never heard a man's voice so concerned over me. It drew tears to my eyes, "My father,"_

_I couldn't breath anymore, the tears were breaking me up again as I thought to how he had hit me the past week. I hugged him dearly, I hugged him so tight I never wanted to let go. As his hands gently ran through my long blue hair, I sobbed into his shirt._

_That morning at the monument I told him everything about my father, as we sat there I watched his eye widen several times as I stared into it, indefinitely falling in love. The way he held me made me feel so safe, I've never felt so safe in someone's arms. I slowly wanted to drift asleep in them, listening to his heartbeat. He gently woke me, whispering my name, "Yeazakura-chan, it might be time to go home... it's almost 9."_

_I looked up at him, clutching his shirt, "No, I can't go back there! Everywhere but there..."_

_He hushed me back to a frail sleep, placing my head back on his chest. I felt like I was going crazy, I was letting my emotions get to me and it was taking its toll. I couldn't control anything anymore, I lost my concentration quickly and I couldn't think of anything else than, this. Being with Kakashi and feeling his arms around me, it made me feel whole. I lost the want to die, but I gained the want to love and be loved. After he had seen the wounds on my back he told me he could wrap them up at his house. I was happy for that, I didn't want to tell a doctor or a medical nin. They don't care much for doctor-patient confidentiality, the Hokage had the right to know everything._

_He gently placed me on his bed, his huge soft fluffy bed. All I had was a futon on the cold hard floor... I sighed as I let the softness and comfort take me over, "I'll go grab the first-aid kit."_

_As I laid there on my stomach I took in his scent, now slowly seeping into my clothes and hair. I sighed contently at the soft aromas in the air, then suddenly a strange smell came into range. I opened my eyes as I felt something crawl onto the bed, suddenly in front of me sat a dog. He looked into my eyes very silently, he didn't breath hard, he didn't make dog noises or whatever. He just looked at me, "Yoh."_

_My eyes widened, a talking dog? First toads, now dogs? "I see you're one of Kakashi's friends, how did you get dragged into this?"_

"_Pakkun, leave her alone. Yeazakura, take your shirt off..."_

"_Oh-oh, now he's getting bossy. Watch out girlfriend." Girlfriend, nobody ever said that to me... The little dog waddled off of the bed, now I felt a bigger presence crawling towards me. I forced myself to sit up, hesitantly I took off my shirt, facing him with my back. My back wasn't as bad back then as it is now, so he slowly ran his fingers between some wounds down my spine, "Last time made it so bad, I can't even wear a bra."_

_I slightly chuckled, I tried to be airy about it like always, but around him, it was hard to deny my emotions. I couldn't see his eye, but his sigh was concerned, worried maybe sad?_

_Very slowly, I felt droplets fall onto my back, pour into every wound. It felt nice, a light burning sensation yet numbing the wounds, "What is it that you're pouring on?"_

"_It's alcohol, to disinfect the wounds."_

"_You're pouring sake onto my wounds?"_

_He chuckled, "No, different kind of alcohol... Doesn't it hurt?" I shrugged my shoulders, "The skin on my back is kind of numbed lately..."_

_He proceeded in silence for concentration, I was just too afraid to talk. I looked around his room, at his headstand I saw a picture. Him, Obito, Rin and their sensei, little did he know I had that picture too... A copy of Obito's. Suddenly I felt his arms around me, I blushed as he was so close to me. Only now I realised I was half naked, in a boy's room! I suddenly felt my body grow quite warm, but then his arms left, again they came back and left. I looked down to see him wrap bandages around my stomach, covering every inch. He carefully, not too tightly covered my chest as well. He was so gentle, I wondered if he had an angel's touch. As he finished wrapping me up, I felt him lean his chin on my shoulder. I tried not to turn my head since he was close to my face, my body grew hot again which he felt. He gently hugged me from behind, making sure he didn't had contact with my back. I felt so tired, my eyes started to droop as I yawned. He took the shirt from my hands and tossed it on the floor, with his arms around me again I felt that he was shirtless as well. If I wasn't so tired, I would've blushed. We slowly descended onto our sides as he pulled up the covers, falling asleep together, his body gently around mine protecting me from harm._

_At the end of the morning I knew, this crush developed to something bigger, at the cost of a friendship though..."_

The boys had an enlightened look on their faces, as Sakura's was immeasurably sad. Her voice had slowly died out as her eyes closed, Kakashi took the book from her hand and stuffed it in his pocket. He was slowly rocking her, cradling her further into sleep. His voice was so silent as he whispered, "_Boys, you take care of the fire, Sakura, you'll have to take the third tent tonight if you don't mind. I need to keep an eye on her for now_."

All nodded and scurried off, Kakashi slowly picked her up, making sure his arm wasn't hurting her back. With his other arm underneath her legs he carried her into their tent, placing her gently in their joined sleeping bags. He removed her pouches and his own, then turned to the stirring girl,

"_Kakashi_,"

she slowly opened her eyes, "_read to me_?"

"_From your diary_?" She shook her head, pointing at her own pouch she whispered something. He took out an orange little book, opening it on the marked page, "_He pushed through the massive crowd of people, he had to reach her... The moment he saw her eyes, he saw the panic. She had lost someone dear, now alone she couldn't move on. He guided her from the crowd and calmed her, his arms cradled away her pain as his fingers brushed away the tears. She accepted the hug, enjoying his warmth and caring, forgetting her scars._"

He looked up to see her fallen asleep, he put away the book and laid down himself, close to her being. Closing up the bag around them, he slipped his arm around her waist, and pulled her back into his protective cage.


End file.
